FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TULSA, Okla. (November 16, 2023) – As Thanksgiving approaches, Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) highlighted the unique innovations of Food On The Move and discussed other successful food and housing programs supported by PSO and the American Electric Power Foundation through the Feeding Communities initiative.
“Thanksgiving is a time when we all pause to appreciate our good fortune and share it with others. We see the generosity of our customers constantly, and we salute that kindness. It reflects the best of our community,” said PSO President and Chief Operating Officer Leigh Anne Strahler. “The Feeding Communities initiative is our effort to be a part of that and make a difference every day.”
The American Electric Power (AEP) Feeding Communities initiative focuses on food and housing security across AEP’s 11-state footprint.
In 2023, the PSO’s Feeding Communities effort has included a wide variety of volunteer activities, $225,000 in AEP Foundation grants and another $51,100 in PSO donations to food and housing nonprofits. Those figures don’t include PSO programs to help customer manage energy costs, such as free weatherization for eligible homes and free LED bulbs distributed through food pantries.
On Tuesday, PSO employees volunteered in the latest Feeding Communities effort, helping out at a Community Food & Resource Festival hosted by Food On The Move.
Founded by musician Taylor Hanson, Food On The Move is dedicated to transforming food deserts and the legacy issues created by living without food security. PSO’s partnership with Food On The Move has included donation (in conjunction with EPRI) of a container garden, currently being used to grow produce year-round for the monthly Community Food & Resource Festivals, and an AEP Foundation grant of $100,000 for the nonprofit group’s Urban Farm, which will produce 180,000 pounds of fresh produce a year.
“We appreciate the dedication of PSO and the AEP Foundation to food and housing issues,” said Kevin Harper, President and CEO of Food On The Move. “Food On The Move is focused on ending food insecurity one community at a time, and partners such as PSO and AEP Foundation are the key to making that vision a success.”
All three PSO service districts have benefitted from PSO’s Feeding Communities efforts in 2023. For example, in southwest Oklahoma, AEP Foundation made a $25,000 grant to the Weatherford Food & Resource Center, and in southeastern Oklahoma, PSO supports the Hugo Sharing Hope food pantry.
PSO’s other volunteer efforts have including leading local and statewide initiatives addressing hunger and housing, building wheelchair ramps for disabled residents and participation in food drives in several PSO communities.
About PSO
PSO, a unit of American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP), is an electric utility company serving nearly 573,000 customer accounts in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma, powering a cleaner, brighter energy future for its customers and 232 communities. Based in Tulsa, PSO has more than 4,300 megawatts of diverse generating capacity that primarily includes wind and natural gas. It maintains and operates more than 24,000 miles of distribution lines and 3,700 miles of transmission lines and is one of the largest distributors of wind energy in the state. Find news releases and other information at www.PSOklahoma.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, NextDoor and Instagram @PSOklahoma.
About AEP Foundation
The American Electric Power Foundation is funded by American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) 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, promote healthcare and safety, and enrich life through art, music and cultural heritage.
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