DTE Energy Foundation Gives Nearly $6.7 Million to Nonprofits
March 14 2007 - 12:02PM
PR Newswire (US)
DETROIT, March 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The DTE Energy
Foundation today announced it awarded nearly $6.7 million to
Michigan nonprofit organizations in 2006. "The DTE Energy
Foundation is committed to supporting programs and institutions
that strengthen communities and help create a better tomorrow,"
said Fred Shell, DTE Energy vice president of corporate and
government affairs and president of the DTE Energy Foundation.
"We're very proud that grants we made in 2006 enabled hundreds of
nonprofit organizations to make a meaningful difference in the
lives of those who live and work in the communities we serve."
Making high-impact grants The DTE Energy Foundation awarded
$350,000 to the six nonprofits named winners of its Achieving
Excellence Awards. The state's largest corporate grant competition
for nonprofits, the program recognizes exemplary work in four
categories: Special Achievement, Leadership, Collaboration and
Sustainability. Winners of the 2006 awards were: Habitat for
Humanity of Oakland County, Pontiac; Warren/Conner Development
Coalition, Detroit; Detroit Eastside Community Collaborative,
Detroit; Three Lakes Association, Bellaire; The Guidance Center,
Southgate; and Lighthouse of Oakland County, Pontiac. Other grants
made by the DTE Energy Foundation in 2006 include: * The Nature
Conservancy. The DTE Energy Foundation made a $500,000 grant to The
Nature Conservancy's "Save the Last Great Places in Michigan"
campaign to protect 15 significant forest, water and shoreline
areas across the state. The Foundation made the first major
corporate gift to this project and was instrumental in helping the
organization reach a $2.5 million match from the Kresge Foundation.
* Detroit Public Schools. The Foundation awarded $118,000 to fund
the Math, Science and Energy Enrichment Program at two of Detroit's
most innovative high schools -- the Frederick Douglass Academy and
the new Detroit International Academy. The program will provide
students with opportunities to excel in math, science, leadership
and technology. Funding will be used to upgrade school facilities
to provide cutting edge instruction in those areas. It also will
provide training and professional development for teachers and
counselors to enhance their knowledge of energy and the energy
industry. * Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The DTE
Energy Foundation awarded $115,000 to renew the DTE Energy Forestry
Grants program, a partnership with the DNR that provides trees and
seedlings in communities within DTE Energy's service territory. The
grant also launched a new pilot program, Restoration of Our Trees,
developed to help property owners replace trees lost due to the
Emerald Ash Borer infestation. * Junior Achievement of Southeastern
Michigan. A $100,000 grant from the DTE Energy Foundation helped
fund Junior Achievement's Finance Park -- a 12,500 square-foot,
hands-on learning environment designed to teach middle school
students about personal finance. The estimated 15,000 students
expected to participate in the program each year will visit a DTE
Energy storefront in the park to learn about utility bills and how
to save money by conserving energy. Matching employee contributions
The DTE Energy Foundation contributed $429,786 to nonprofit
organizations supported by DTE Energy employees. Its year-round
Matching Gifts program matches employee contributions to
educational and cultural institutions and its annual Holiday Season
Matching Gifts program matches employee gifts to human services
organizations that provide food and shelter to those in need during
the holiday season. In addition, DTE Energy employees and retirees
pledged more than $1.65 million to the 2006 United Way Campaign.
The DTE Energy Foundation provided a contribution of $846,000,
bringing the total donation from the company, employees and
retirees to nearly $2.5 million. Another $108,000 was contributed
by the Foundation to nonprofit organizations through the DTE Energy
Foundation Walter J. McCarthy Awards for Volunteer Leadership. The
awards recognize employees' and retirees' community involvement.
Each award includes a grant made to a nonprofit organization
designated by the recipient. Since it was established in 1990, the
program has awarded $750,000 to community groups throughout
Michigan. Evaluating results In 2006, the DTE Energy Foundation
forged two partnerships with a number of its grant recipients to
measure the impact of its contributions to education and
environmental projects. The K-12 Math Partners Initiative will
examine the effect DTE Energy Foundation grants have made in
improving students' math performance and enhancing their interest
in math and science. The Foundation's partners in this study are:
Detroit Area Pre-college Engineering Program; Grand Rapids Area
Pre-college Engineering Program; Communities In Schools; Wayne
State University's Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace
Academy; and Project Seed. The DTE Energy Foundation contributed
$170,000 to these organizations in 2006. The Foundation's
Environmental Partners Initiative will look at how its grants are
impacting water and air quality, biodiversity, Brownfield
redevelopment and environmental stewardship. Organizations working
with the Foundation on this project are: The DTE Energy Freshwater
Institute for Teachers at Northwestern Michigan College;
Conservation Resource Alliance; the Nature Conservancy; Wildlife
Habitat Council; Greening of Detroit; Detroit River International
Wildlife Refuge; and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
The Foundation awarded grants totaling $335,000 in 2006 to these
organizations. The DTE Energy Foundation is the philanthropic arm
of DTE Energy, continuing the legacy of community support and
involvement of its principal operating subsidiaries, Detroit Edison
and MichCon. The Foundation directs its contributions and
involvement to support initiatives dedicated to developing the
human and economic potential of the communities it serves. Grants
are awarded under the foundation's "LEAD" guidelines: leadership,
education, environment, achievement, development and diversity in
the DTE Energy service territory, which includes southeast, western
and northern Michigan. DATASOURCE: DTE Energy CONTACT: Eileen
Dixon, +1-313-235-9154, or Lorie Kessler, +1-313-235-8807, both of
DTE Energy Web site: http://www.dteenergy.com/
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