PSEG’s Power of One Campaign Celebrates Acts of Community Service

PSEG’s Power of One campaign, a yearlong, companywide initiative to celebrate volunteerism, launched in May. Since then, we have highlighted members of the PSEG workforce for their good deeds on the company’s Energize! blog and social media channels. We’ve also awarded thousands of dollars’ worth of grants from the PSEG Foundation in employees’ names to the organizations to which they give their time.

Take, for example, Pennie Vakkas, a paralegal for PSEG Long Island, who volunteers with Long Island Against Domestic Violence for its “Paws for a Cause” event, a dog fashion show where all proceeds go to support domestic violence victims, many of whom – according to statistics – are likely to stay in an abusive relationship because they cannot bring their pets with them should they leave.

Or, Tom and Lance Redmond, brothers at PSEG who volunteer for Starve Poverty, building and restoring homes for vulnerable individuals in Exuma, Bahamas. The conditions in Exuma outside of the resorts are poor and, while there are luxury resorts there, many residents – especially women and children – suffer from extreme poverty and have been placed in emergency housing, much of which has sustained major structural damage over the years. The brothers travel to the Bahamas each year between January and March for one week. They do so on their own time and fund the trips at their own expense.

And Michele Marandola, Audrey Baricko and Alissa Fine, PSEG Nuclear engineers who volunteer with It’s a Girl’s World, mentoring young women in middle school to pursue their career aspirations, primarily in STEM fields.

“PSEG has a long tradition of serving the communities in which we live and work,” said Senior Vice PresidentCorporate Citizenship Rick Thigpen. “The giving nature of our employees, combined with the volunteer efforts of those out in the community, are testament to how much good work we can achieve together and how, ultimately, we can positively affect lives.”