(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company employees contributed at record levels during the companies' 2010 charitable giving campaign, pledging to donate nearly $1.1 million to 27 non-profit organizations across the Commonwealth.
With the LG&E and KU Foundation's additional contribution to the campaign, more than $1.6 million will be donated to non-profit organizations - and thousands of people in need - throughout the state.
Despite a skittish economy, nearly 70 percent of LG&E and KU employees now participate in the companies' annual giving campaign through payroll deduction, more than double the national average for employee participation in charitable giving.
2,168 employees pledged support during this year's campaign, pushing employee participation three percent higher in 2010 compared to 2009.
"2010 marks an all-time record in employee giving at our company, which further demonstrates our steadfast commitment to the communities we serve," said Victor A. Staffieri, chairman, CEO and president of LG&E and KU Energy LLC. "Our employees' generous financial spirit is only rivaled by their numerous volunteer and philanthropic leadership roles across our service territory."
In Louisville, non-profit organizations such as Fund for the Arts, Metro United Way and WHAS Crusade for Children — including the agencies they support — will benefit from LG&E and KU's 2010 employee giving campaign.
Since 2005, LG&E and KU's employee giving campaign has raised more than $9.3 million through payroll deductions, event fundraisers, direct-to-charity donations and Foundation support.
Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company, part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies, are regulated utilities that serve a total of 1.2 million customers and have consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. LG&E serves 321,000 natural gas and 397,000 electric customers in Louisville and 16 surrounding counties. KU serves 543,000 customers in 77 Kentucky counties and five counties in Virginia. More information is available at www.lge-ku.com and www.pplweb.com.
