In honor and remembrance of the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, nearly
200 volunteers from seven of the Baltimore area’s largest employers and
corporate philanthropists teamed up today for the third annual ‘Together
We Serve’ Day of Service in the Johnston Square neighborhood of
Baltimore City. The effort is part of an ongoing neighborhood
revitalization initiative led by The
6th Branch, a veteran-led, nonprofit organization that uses the
leadership and organizational skills of military veterans to execute
aggressive community service initiatives at the local level.
Nearly 200 volunteers from seven of the Baltimore area’s largest employers and corporate philanthropists teamed up today for the third annual ‘Together We Serve’ Day of Service in the Johnston Square neighborhood of Baltimore City. The effort is part of an ongoing neighborhood revitalization initiative led by The 6th Branch. Volunteers from BGE, CareFirst, Constellation, Legg Mason, T. Rowe Price, Transamerica and Under Armour spent the day in the Johnston Square community maintaining play areas for children at the Johnston Square Elementary School and cleaning up three community lots to clear the way for neighborhood gardens as part of a larger effort to improve quality of life and access to healthy food for residents in the community. (Photo: Business Wire)
Volunteers from BGE,
CareFirst, Constellation, Legg Mason, T. Rowe Price, Transamerica and
Under Armour spent the day in the Johnston Square community – an area
struggling with poverty, neglect, vacant homes and a lack of
recreational space for children – building flower boxes and picnic
tables, mulching trees along neighborhood streets, painting and
maintaining play areas for children at the Johnston Square Elementary
School, and cleaning up three community lots to clear the way for
neighborhood gardens as part of a larger effort to improve quality of
life and access to healthy food for residents in the community. Classic
Catering served as the catering sponsor, donating boxed lunches and
water to all volunteers and participants in support of the National 9/11
Day of Service.
“BGE understands the importance of supporting nonprofit organizations
like The 6th Branch, who are continuing their service to
their country by now serving their community,” said Calvin G. Butler
Jr., chief executive officer for BGE. “The hard work and sweat that the
volunteers have put into this community is truly a testament to the
commitment to honor and recognize those who have served and to give back
to them on this important day.”
Thanks to the efforts of The 6th Branch, community partner
Rebuild Johnston Square, and their volunteers, the Johnston Square
neighborhood has seen significant revitalization in recent years. In
addition to the external improvements made at Ambrose Kennedy Park and
Johnston Square Elementary School, a new concept has emerged with the
guidance of Principal Raymond Braxton. This year, roughly 25 volunteers
will spend the day transforming an empty classroom into a “parent’s
room” – a site where parents of students will be able to take classes
that include resume-building and financial literacy. The room will be
outfitted with computers, chairs, desks and a printer.
As part of its commitment to building strong communities in central
Maryland, BGE supports initiatives like the National 9/11 Day of
Service. In 2013 alone, BGE employees, friends and family logged more
than 25,000 hours volunteering with more than 135 different community
organizations. Equivalent to 12 years of full-time service, these
volunteer efforts offer BGE’s nonprofit partners the opportunity to
reinvest resources and better serve communities throughout central
Maryland.
Since its founding nearly 200 years ago, BGE has played an integral role
in working with Maryland communities to address economic development,
public safety, civic issues and other initiatives that help enhance our
neighborhoods. Through the use of shareholder dollars, BGE supports
programs that deliver measurable and sustainable impact in areas of
energy efficiency and assistance, the environment, education, economic
and community development, and emergency response and safety.
BGE’s corporate citizenship aligns with that of its parent company,
Exelon Corporation. As part of Exelon’s merger in March 2012, Exelon and
its subsidiaries have committed to maintain charitable giving of an
average of $7 million per year in Maryland, including BGE’s service
area, for the next 10 years.
To view photos from the event, visit BGE’s Flickr site at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mybge/.
To learn more about BGE’s commitment to philanthropic giving and
volunteerism, visit bge.com/giving.
About BGE:
BGE,
headquartered in Baltimore, is Maryland’s largest gas and electric
utility, delivering power to more than 1.2 million electric customers
and more than 655,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland. The
company’s approximately 3,400 employees are committed to the safe and
reliable delivery of gas and electricity, as well as enhanced energy
management, conservation, environmental stewardship and community
assistance. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the
nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with 2012 revenues of
approximately $23.5 billion. Like us on Facebook
and follow us on Twitter,
YouTube
and Flickr.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140911006463/en/
Copyright Business Wire 2014