A company that is known for providing electricity to people’s homes has stepped up and helped with COVID-19 relief.
The Con Edison energy company and its thousands of employees have donated money, personal protective equipment and utility services and launched initiatives to assist community nonprofits throughout the five boroughs and Westchester County.
“These heroes are people we know, and they need our help,” said John McAvoy, CEO and chairman of Con Edison. “Our employees are also on the frontline maintaining essential electric, gas and steam services. By doing our jobs other first responders can do their work.”
The donations include:
- more than $300,000 to nonprofit organizations dedicated to feeding New Yorkers,
- a donation of $50,000 to the NYC Healthcare Heroes Fund to provide food, household cleaning and personal care products for health-care professionals,
- employee contributions of more than $100,000 to various groups since March 1, and those donations are matched dollar-for-dollar by Con Edison,
- more than $40,000 to assist local police and fire departments and USO foundations,
- 40,000 plastic face shields manufactured by employees at a Con Edison machine shop in the Van Nest section of the Bronx. That essential equipment has been donated to health-care workers in Westchester,
- 100,000 donations of N95 masks for health care workers.
Con Edison crews also ran electricity lines to emergency hospitals in Central Park, at the Westchester County Center and a drive-through testing center in Coney Island.
“This pandemic has changed all aspects of our lives,” McAvoy said. “But it can’t shake our character and our grit.”
