FirstEnergy Foundation boosts United Way of Berks County’s “Big Cheese” hunger relief drive with $100,000 grant

FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), through its charitable arm, the FirstEnergy Foundation, has expanded its commitment to combating food insecurity with a $100,000 grant to the United Way of Berks County’s annual “Big Cheese” volunteer event. The funding, timed to mark United Way’s 100th anniversary, will help provide 500,000 meals—double the amount achieved in the prior year—to children and families in the region facing chronic hunger. The contribution reflects both a scaling up of corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts and a strategic deepening of community ties in the utility’s Pennsylvania service territory.

Why did FirstEnergy Foundation’s $100,000 Big Cheese grant make such a large impact in Berks County?

The scale of impact comes from the synergy between targeted corporate giving and a proven grassroots mobilization model. According to local hunger relief data, Berks County’s food insecurity rate remains stubbornly high, with one in five residents facing insufficient access to nutritious meals. Of these, an estimated 25,000 are children, underscoring the urgency of sustainable solutions. In addition, more than three in five school-aged children in the county qualify for free or reduced-price lunch programs, making supplemental food access critical outside of the school year.

John Hawkins, FirstEnergy’s Pennsylvania President, framed the grant as both a celebration of the centennial milestone and a call to action. “Our employees show up year after year to support the Big Cheese event – and this year we wanted to do even more,” Hawkins said. “To honor United Way’s 100th anniversary, the FirstEnergy Foundation contributed a $100,000 grant, helping to provide an incredible 500,000 meals to children and families facing food insecurity. That’s double the number of meals from last year. It’s a powerful way to strengthen the health and well-being of our communities, and we’re proud to be part of it.”

For FirstEnergy, the return on such an investment is not measured in profit margins but in social capital. Analysts covering the utility sector note that sustained, high-visibility community engagement can influence stakeholder trust and regulatory goodwill, factors that, while intangible, can shape a company’s operating environment.

How does United Way’s Big Cheese event address food insecurity at scale?

The Big Cheese is designed as a high-efficiency volunteer mobilization event that yields immediate, tangible results. This year, the effort unfolded at Penn State’s Berks Campus gymnasium, where 1,000 volunteers worked in assembly-line fashion to pack meals including macaroni and cheese, rice and beans, and flavored oatmeal. Partner organizations such as Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank and other local food banks then distributed these shelf-stable meal packs to families across the region, including through the Reading School District.

Tammy White, President of the United Way of Berks County, emphasized the strategic value of such corporate partnerships. “We are deeply grateful for the FirstEnergy Foundation’s generous support of our 100th Anniversary BIGGER Big Cheese volunteer event, helping ensure that families in need across Berks County have access to nutritious meals. This partnership has a long history and is rooted in community spirit and impact. Met-Ed volunteers stepped up in a big way—by rolling up their sleeves to assist with event setup and to help package thousands of shelf-stable meals.”

The model itself reflects a wider trend in nonprofit operations: combining corporate funding with large-scale volunteerism to maximize output. By leveraging corporate networks and local engagement, events like the Big Cheese create a multiplier effect—amplifying the dollar value of grants through labor, logistics, and distribution partnerships.

What role does corporate philanthropy play in regional hunger relief efforts across the U.S.?

FirstEnergy’s $100,000 grant sits within a larger landscape where corporate America is increasingly being called on to address systemic social issues. For utilities, in particular, food security initiatives resonate because they align with the broader mission of providing essential services. In the first half of 2025 alone, the FirstEnergy Foundation disbursed nearly $2 million in grants across its service areas, supporting causes from STEM education to disaster relief. The Big Cheese contribution, however, stands out for its measurable, immediate community benefit.

Nationally, United Way affiliates have been intensifying their hunger relief programming in response to post-pandemic economic pressures, inflation, and supply chain disruptions. In many states, United Way has become a coordinating hub for corporate partners looking to channel CSR resources into high-impact interventions. By attaching measurable outputs—such as “meals provided” or “families reached”—these initiatives meet both nonprofit accountability needs and corporate reporting requirements for ESG (environmental, social, governance) metrics.

Industry observers note that companies strategically investing in community health can also see indirect benefits in employee morale and retention. Participation in high-visibility volunteer events often reinforces workplace culture and employee engagement, factors linked to productivity and brand loyalty.

How have FirstEnergy’s past community investments shaped its reputation and stakeholder trust?

FirstEnergy’s CSR track record includes educational initiatives, environmental stewardship projects, and emergency aid for disaster-affected communities. Over the past decade, the FirstEnergy Foundation has consistently supported 501(c)(3) organizations within the company’s footprint, often targeting programs that serve basic needs or expand access to opportunity. Past food security projects have included funding for food banks during winter heating seasons, ensuring households do not have to choose between paying utility bills and buying groceries.

Such long-term consistency matters in a sector where public trust can be volatile. Utilities operate under regulatory scrutiny, and visible community reinvestment can be a reputational asset during rate case negotiations or infrastructure project approvals. Some analysts point to FirstEnergy’s post-scandal recovery efforts in Ohio as an example of how intensified CSR can be part of a broader reputational rehabilitation strategy. While community giving alone cannot erase past controversies, it can demonstrate ongoing corporate citizenship, especially when linked to core service regions.

What could be next for FirstEnergy Foundation and United Way’s hunger relief partnership?

The success of this year’s Bigger Big Cheese event opens the door to scaling the model. One potential path is to expand the initiative to other counties within FirstEnergy’s service territory, leveraging the logistical blueprint refined in Berks County. Another is to introduce year-round food security interventions—such as weekend meal programs for students—funded in part by recurring corporate grants.

For United Way, deepening corporate relationships can enable broader programmatic reach without proportionally increasing overhead. For FirstEnergy, aligning CSR investments with high-impact, easily communicable outcomes like “half a million meals provided” ensures both community benefit and shareholder-friendly optics.

Market watchers expect CSR to remain a prominent talking point in the utility sector’s investor communications, particularly as ESG scrutiny intensifies. Institutional investors often evaluate not just financial returns but also a company’s role in its communities, which can influence capital flows. While such grants are a fraction of FirstEnergy’s annual revenues—$12.5 billion in 2024—their strategic value lies in building a durable social license to operate.

If expanded, the FirstEnergy–United Way partnership could serve as a model for other utility–nonprofit collaborations nationwide, proving that targeted corporate philanthropy can deliver measurable, large-scale results in addressing one of America’s most persistent challenges: hunger.