WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Author's note: The video above is on file from September 1, 2020.
Dominion Energy recently donated more than $1.5 million to 206 organizations across eight states, one of which being a local shelter for women and children.
The Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation established an initiative in June of 2020. Their goal is to support social and beneficial community organizations across their service area.
In 2020, the foundation and related Dominion Energy programs donated more than $58 million to community causes as a whole.
"The pandemic amplified the most basic human needs including food, shelter and medical care," said Hunter A. Applewhite, president of the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation. "We are proud to support these worthy non-profits across our footprint, making a tremendous impact in their local communities. This work is more important now than ever."
There are several local recipients of the latest donation, which gave $600,000 to Hampton Roads initiatives: Avalon: A Center for Women and Children in Williamsburg, St. Mary's Home for Disabled Children in Norfolk and the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center in Virginia Beach.
For Avalon, the donation will go towards the purchasing and installation of generators to power their apartment buildings, which typically house victims of domestic and sexual abuse.
Avalon is a regional nonprofit that helps over 1,500 women, children and men a year in Williamsburg and surrounding counties by providing tools to help them emotionally work through their trauma and financially find their footing with jobs and housing.
"To say it's been a challenging time this past year would be an understatement," said Teresa L. Christin, Executive Director of the Avalon Center. "But we keep going because of the support of our community and businesses like Dominion Energy."
Their facilities allow them to house about 50 women and children per day.
For the St. Mary's Home for Disabled Children, the donation will go towards purchasing disinfectant and PPE equipment to allow children and young adults to resume more normal interactions.
They provide recreational, educational and medical services for 88 children with disabilities aged newborn to 21, according to their website.
For the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center, the donation will go towards emergency housing and daily feeding programs.
In partnership with local churches and synagogues, the center offers meals, day support programs and houses about 55 residents per night in their emergency housing facilities.
"We're proud and thankful to have been awarded a grant from Dominion Energy," said Kristin Ward, Development Director, Judeo-Christian Outreach Center. "This funding will be used for Emergency Shelter and daily feeding programs which equip our clients' with the resources needed for their homelessness to be rare, brief and nonrecurring."