RG&E Supports Arts and Culture Nonprofits Across Greater Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — November 3, 2021 — New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) recently donated a total of $19,500 to arts and culture organizations across New York state, including six nonprofits in the greater Rochester region. The donations are part of the companies’ Corporate Donation Program to support and care for the communities that they serve. 

“It’s important to us at RG&E to be good community partners,” said Stephanie Rankin, program manager at RG&E. “Arts and culture organizations are often the heart of a thriving community—and they rely on support from their neighbors to continue their programs and events. We’re proud to support these local organizations as one of the many ways that we care for the communities that we serve.”

In total, NYSEG and RG&E provided gifts and sponsorships to 13 arts and culture organizations across their service areas. Locally, RG&E donated a total of $10,000 to Borinquen Dance Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Latinas Unidas, the Puerto Rican Festival, National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House and OFC Creations Theatre Center/Hands-In Entertainment.

“RG&E’s support of Geva’s annual ‘Home for the Holidays” performance of A Christmas Carol allows us to show our deep appreciation to local active duty military and veteran families, and honor the many sacrifices they have made,” said Christopher Mannelli, executive director at Geva Theatre Center. 

RG&E’s donations will support the organizations in the following ways:

  • Borinquen Dance Theatre: The $1,500 donation will support the organization’s self-development and dance programs for ages 8 to 21 to establish a connection between dance and boosting the academic achievement for Latino students.  
  • Geva Theatre Center: The $2,000 donation will support programs like the Blue Star Theatres’ Home for the Holidays event—a free performance of “A Christmas Carol” for active military home on leave, veterans, and gold star families. This year’s event will take place on December 22 and 2 p.m. 
  • Latinas Unidas: The $1,500 donation will support events like Reconocimiento, Scholarship Awards Network Session, Cafe' con Leche Women Panel or Bridging Generations. Latinas Unidas’s mission is to foster opportunities that will promote unity, cultural identity and the presence of the Latina woman in the community.
  • Puerto Rican Festival: This $2,500 donation supported the 2021 Puerto Rican Festival in Rochester. This two-day event fosters the celebration of the history and heritage of people of Puerto Rican descent.
  • National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House: This $1,500 donation supported the organization’s annual birthday celebration which offers the community an opportunity to hear a nationally recognized speaker on a topic that is directly related to the mission of keeping the Susan B. Anthony legacy alive and relevant.  
  • OFC Creations Theatre Center: The $1,000 donation will support Hands-In Entertainment’s ASL interpreting services for productions at the OFC Creations Theatre Center for the deaf and hard of hearing.

“The support from family, funders, volunteers and friends has been a blessing, as we celebrate four decades of Borinquen Dance Theatre," said Padilla-Rodríguez, founder and artistic director at Borinquen Dance Theatre. "What an exciting journey to share with our community. I admire the tenacity, perseverance and resilience our youth demonstrated and continue to manage during this pandemic.”

In addition to NYSEG and RG&E’s donations to local arts and culture nonprofits, the companies’ 2021 Corporate Donation Program also supported more than 20 health and welfare organizations and 14 local food banks and pantries earlier this year. The companies also plan to support local nonprofits focused on education and young people later this year. These donations will impact every division within the NYSEG and RG&E service area. 

NYSEG and RG&E’s support is enhanced by additional giving through the Avangrid Foundation, the charitable giving arm of the AVANGRID family of companies. Since 2002, the Foundation and its predecessors have invested more than $28 million in partnerships to help meet a number of community needs. In New York, the Avangrid Foundation has made more than $5.5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and qualified programs during the last five years. 

NYSEG and RG&E are subsidiaries of AVANGRID, Inc.

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About RG&E: Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Established in 1848, RG&E operates approximately 8,800 miles of electric distribution lines and 1,100 miles of electric transmission lines. It also operates approximately 10,600 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 105 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 378,500 electricity customers and 313,000 natural gas customers in a nine-county region in New York surrounding the City of Rochester. For more information, visit rge.com. 

About NYSEG: New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Established in 1852, NYSEG operates approximately 35,000 miles of electric distribution lines and 4,500 miles of electric transmission lines across more than 40% of upstate New York. It also operates more than 8,150 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 20 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 894,000 electricity customers and 266,000 natural gas customers. For more information, visit www.nyseg.com. 

About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States.  Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $39 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 7,000 people and has been recognized by Forbes and Just Capital as one of the 2021 JUST 100 companies – a list of America’s best corporate citizens – and was ranked number one within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2021 for the third consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit avangrid.com.

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