For Immediate Release: October 8, 2018

Tucson, Ariz. – UniSource Energy Services has awarded a total of $80,000 in Community Impact Grants to 39 charitable organizations in Coconino, Mohave, Navajo, Santa Cruz and Yavapai counties.

UniSource directs its annual community investments to programs and services that have the greatest impact and measurable results for improving childhood education, protecting and conserving the environment, and meeting the basic needs of limited-income and underserved residents. Like all of UniSource’s philanthropic contributions, the grants are funded from corporate resources, not customers’ rates.

“We’ve worked to identify and fund the most effective efforts to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve,” said David G. Hutchens, UniSource’s President and CEO. “This year’s Community Impact Grants will help worthwhile organizations provide food, shelter, clothing and counseling for our most vulnerable residents, educate youth in math and science and protect our environment.”

This year’s UniSource Community Impact Grant recipients are listed below, along with their grant amount and how the funding will be used.

Coconino County – $15,000

• Flagstaff Family Food Center, $4,500, to provide hunger relief services.
• Flagstaff Shelter Services, $2,500, to fund its emergency shelter program.
• Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona, $2,500, for safety and self-sufficiency improvements at Sharon Manor.
• Northland Family Help Center, $1,000, to provide compassionate care to traumatized children.
• Victim Witness Services, $2,500, to support staff travel to visit victims in rural and remote locations.
• Williams Alliance for the Arts, $1,000, to support its 8^th grade identity through photography project.
• Terra Birds, $1,000, to fund programs that educate and inspire youth and adults to be good stewards of the environment.

Mohave County (Kingman) – $16,750

• Arizona Youth Partnership, $2,000, to fund the Hands Up program that serves homeless youth.
• Cornerstone Mission Project, $3,000, to meet the basic needs of people who are homeless.
• Jerry Ambrose Veterans Council, $1,750, to help and serve homeless veterans.
• Kingman Academy of Learning, $2,500, to support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.
• Kingman Aid to Abused People, $2,000, to help the victims of elder, domestic and sexual abuse and bullying.
• Kingman Area Food Bank, $3,500, for restocking the food pantry.
• Kingman Mohave County Sheriff’s Department, $1,000, to support search and rescue efforts.
• Kingman Mohave Lion’s Club, $1,000, to fund vision screening equipment.

 Mohave County (Lake Havasu City) – $12,250

•  Bullhead City Meals on Wheels, $1,000, to deliver meals to disabled seniors.
• Jerry Ambrose Veteran’s Council, $2,250, to provide services and support to homeless veterans.
• Kingman Mohave Sheriff’s Department, $1,000, to provide search and rescue services.
• River Cities United Way, $4,000, to fund childhood tutoring through the Kids Bright & Healthy program.
• Women with Willpower, $4,000, to provide assistance to low-income women and children who need financial support.

Navajo County – $8,500

• Community Fast, $3,000, to provide food to families in need during the holidays.
• CPR Cougar Pride Robotics, $2,750, to support an after-school robotics program.
• Show Low High School STEM Club, $2,750, to fund the STEM-based aquaponics program.

 Santa Cruz County (Nogales) – 12,500                                                        

• Community Food Bank, Inc., $3,000, to fund emergency food assistance.
• Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona, $1,250, to support local Girl Scout STEM programs.
• Rebuilding Together Santa Cruz County, Inc., $3,000, to rehabilitate homes to make them safe and energy efficient for families.
• Rich River Athletics, $1,000, to support elementary cross country and track programs.
• Santa Cruz Training Programs, Inc., $3,250, to make facility improvements in client employment services and training areas.
• United Way of Santa Cruz County, $1,000, to fund the diaper bank that supplies limited-income families who have infants with diapers.

Yavapai County (Prescott) – $10,500

• Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation, $2,500, to provide financial assistance to care for foster care children who are wards of the court.
• Arizona’s Children Association, $1,000, to fund the Foster Care Emergency Funds Project, which helps struggling families pay their rent and utilities.
• Central Arizona Seniors Association, $2,000, to fund the delivery of meals to seniors’ homes.
• Highlands Center for Natural History, $2,500, to fund school field trips to the Prescott National Forest.
• Prescott Area Habitat Home, $1,000, to support its affordable housing program for limited-income residents.
• Yavapai CASA for Kids Foundation, $1,500, to fund clothing allowances for 25 foster youth seeking employment.

 Yavapai County (Cottonwood) – $4,500

• Cornucopia Community Advocates, $1,000, to provide emergency financial aid to low-income residents.
• Grand Canyon Youth, $1,000, to support its STEM education program on the Verde River.
• Old Town Mission, $1,500, to support Cottonwood’s new fresh produce market, which helps meet the nutritional needs of local residents.
• Verde Natural Resource Conservation, $1,000, to support its STEM and environmental education programs.

Grant winners are selected through a competitive process by UniSource employee volunteers and other company stakeholders. Grants are awarded based on the effectiveness and sustainability of the program, organizational strength and other criteria.

UniSource Community Impact Grants are available to organizations in the company’s gas and electric service territories. The grants are part of the company’s award-winning community service efforts, which include employee volunteerism and corporate in-kind donations of equipment and services.

UniSource provides electric service to approximately 96,000 customers in Mohave and Santa Cruz counties. The company also provides natural gas to approximately 156,000 customers in Northern and Southern Arizona.

For more information about UniSource, visit uesaz.com. UniSource and its parent company, UNS Energy, are subsidiaries of Fortis, Inc., a leader in the North American regulated electric and gas utility industry. For further information, visit fortisinc.com.

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Sherri Cadeaux
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