“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” — Winston S. Churchill
Hundreds of companies around the world, including PSEG, will celebrate #GivingTuesday on Nov. 28.
The word giving has many different meanings for each of us. Some choose to give their time and energy by volunteering; some choose to support others through monetary donations. Both are equally important when helping others. And helping others is something where our employees, like Jim Meyer and his team of more than 40, excel. Jim and the PSEG St. John’s Soup Kitchen team volunteer their lunch hour twice a month to prepare hot meals for the men, women and children of Newark, New Jersey, who cannot afford to feed themselves. The reliability and faithfulness of this team and others has enabled St. John’s to open up the Women and Children’s Center and the Men’s Dining Room – both helping give shelter to those who seek it while they enjoy a hot meal.
Many things have changed since our founding in 1903, but our unwavering commitment to the community by giving back – both by the company and by our employees – has remained a constant.
Our employees’ giving efforts have meant tens of thousands of volunteer hours and millions of dollars to organizations to help make a difference in the communities in which we live and we serve.
Our employees have come out in force at the Walk ‘n Roll for Children’s Specialized Hospital, March of Dimes in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Long Island, Light the Night walks supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and Diversity Stride. We continue to support the United Way and many local organizations including Boy and Girl Scouts, YMCAs, pet rescue organizations and social services organizations. And most recently, more than 130 employees volunteered their time to help build a playground with KaBOOM! in Newark, New Jersey, so the children of Grace West Manor have a safe place to play.
On Giving Tuesday, we will celebrate our employees’ generosity and PSEG’s dedication to giving back. Instead of a specific fundraiser throughout PSEG, we will celebrate #GivingTuesday with a 2:1 match to any qualified nonprofit organization our employees give to.
Why do we do the match? It’s to encourage and support employees like Mark Lovretin, our company photographer, who has been volunteering for animal shelters for more than eight years. “It always makes me feel good to give back to the community and represent PSEG,” he said. “I give my spare time and donations to a nonprofit I am passionate about and believe needs support. The Giving Tuesday/PSEG match is a no brainer.”
Last year on #GivingTuesday, our employees and PSEG raised more than $37,500 to support organizations within our communities.
Our role in the community is not a separate entity but an integral part of our daily work. Our employee business resource groups support our longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion as well as allow employees to gain access to informal networks of both information and support. Our volunteer initiatives help create a diverse, inclusive culture where employees contribute to the overall success of the company.
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