Gift is part of the Delivering on the Dream: Social and Racial Justice grant program
SHREVEPORT, La., Oct. 29, 2021 – Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) today announced that the American Electric Power Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant to the Rogers Development Foundation to promote academic success among Latino students in Rogers, Ark., high schools.
The grant will support the Leadership, Education, Advancement & Development (L.E.A.D.) project, which provides opportunities for academic success and prepares youth with the tools for success in pursuit of higher education or entering the job market.
The AEP Foundation is funded by American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) and its utility operating units, including SWEPCO, which serves approximately 123,000 customers in Arkansas.
The gift is part of the AEP Foundation’s Delivering on the Dream: Social and Racial Justice grant program, which is a five-year, $5 million commitment to fund organizations with programs dedicated to advancing social and racial justice in communities served by AEP.
“L.E.A.D is a good example of the Chamber’s mission-work and is made possible by the AEP Foundation grant to the Rogers Development Foundation, which seeks funding to support the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber’s efforts to preserve, promote, and enhance the cities of Rogers and Lowell,” said Raymond Burns, president/CEO of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. “This grant enables both the Chamber and Rogers Public Schools to achieve diversity, equity and inclusion goals by engaging at-risk Hispanic/Latino students to increase graduation rates, set them on career pathways, and help them build personal and professional networks to foster connections,” Burns said.
Bradley Hardin, SWEPCO External Affairs and Government Affairs Manager in Fayetteville, said, “As Northwest Arkansas continues to grow, and the communities we serve become more diverse, this is an exciting opportunity to make a difference in our schools, including Latino students in our three Rogers high schools. We are pleased to support this outstanding program as part of our company’s focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.”
About the American Electric Power Foundation
The American Electric Power Foundation is funded by American Electric Power and its operating subsidiaries. The Foundation provides a permanent, ongoing resource for charitable initiatives involving higher dollar values and multi-year commitments in the communities served by AEP and initiatives outside of AEP’s 11-state service area. The Foundation focuses on improving lives through education from early childhood through higher education in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math; by meeting basic needs for emergency shelter, affordable housing and the elimination of hunger; and championing social and racial justice. Other foundation support may be offered to protect the environment, support healthcare and safety, and enrich life through art, music and cultural heritage.
About Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO)
SWEPCO, an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, serves more than 543,000 customers in northwest and central Louisiana, northeast Texas and the Texas Panhandle, and western Arkansas. SWEPCO’s headquarters are in Shreveport, La. News releases and other information about SWEPCO can be found at SWEPCO.com. Connect with us at Facebook.com/SWEPCO, Twitter.com/SWEPCOnews, Instagram.com/swepco, Youtube.com/SWEPCOtv and LinkedIn.com/company/swepco.