2020 Hometown Heroes

2020 Hometown HEROES Magazine LINCOLN DAILY NEWS May 14, 2020 Page 145 Enel North America Commits $65,000 Toward COVID-19 Relief Efforts in Central Illinois CONTINUED u First Responders in Latham and Mount Pulaski will receive $50,000 Pledges $5,000 to Lincoln Logan Food Pantry E nel North America, which has four wind farms in operation or development in central Illinois, announced this week that it will provide $65,000 to four organizations in the area to support COVID-19 preparedness and response. The support is a part of a $1.3 million community-based relief effort the company is initiating with over 75 local agencies across the US and Canada in response to the pandemic. “At Enel North America we have always felt a deep responsibility to support the health and well-being of the communities where we live and work, and even more so during this crisis,” said Enrico Viale, Head of Enel North America. “COVID-19 has caused unprecedented economic challenges for critical service organizations in many communities and we hope our support can provide some sense of relief. From rural hospitals to first responders, local schools and foodbanks, these organizations and their workers are on the frontlines and we thank essential workers everywhere for their extraordinary and unwavering response to this crisis.” Enel North America is committed to a multi- phase, community-based response to address both immediate health and social services needs, plus long-term socioeconomic impacts from this crisis. In central Illinois, the company’s commitment to its host communities includes $10,000 to The Vault in Clinton for local educational programs, $5,000 to the Logan County Food Pantry and $50,000 to first responders in Latham and Mt. Pulaski. “We are beyond grateful for the generous support that Enel North America and Tradewind Energy have given to support the teens of our community through their financial gift to The Vault,” said Michelle Witzke, founder and program director of The Vault in Clinton, which will receive $10,000 for a partnership with the Clinton Education Association and Clinton Community Educational Foundation. “All students in our district have been academically compromised and impacted in some way by COVID-19. As much as the teachers are doing their best under these circumstances, learning does not have the same value as face-to-face, hands-on education. This gift will allow The Vault, CEA, and CCEF to team up to provide supplemental learning materials for the summer that can help bridge the learning gap, especially for families most severely impacted by this pandemic.” In addition to supporting these local organizations, as an essential power generator, Enel North America has implemented enhanced safety measures and restructured its workforce plan to maintain physical distancing