NEWARK, Del., November 14, 2024 /3BL/ - Delmarva Power and Delaware Nature Society announced the 2024 Sustainable Community Grants winners, providing $40,000 in funding for projects focused on reforestation, sustainable transportation, affordable housing, and composting programs. As part of their united dedication to creating sustainable communities across the region, these grants will enhance community resiliency and expand residents’ access to open spaces

“Our communities are at the core of what we do, and investments like these allow us to support both our people and our planet,” said Phil Vavala, Delmarva Power Region President. “With these grants, they can build on their important work, including initiatives to provide cleaner transportation options, improve habitats for wildlife, and promote education around sustainable living – efforts that will significantly benefit our region and its residents for years to come.”

Over the last four years, Delmarva Power’s Sustainable Communities Grant Program has provided more than $235,000 in funding for open space and resiliency efforts across Delaware and Maryland.

“These small grants pack a big punch,” says Jennifer Adkins of the Delaware Nature Society, “Each one provides critical resources for a project that provides cleaner water, air, habitat, or energy locally; together they make Delaware and the region healthier today, and more resilient to the negative impacts of climate change in the future.”

This year, Delmarva Power and Delaware Nature Society awarded grants to the following organizations:

• Delaware Wild Lands, Inc. ($10,000): Over the next year, Delaware Wild Lands (DWL) and volunteers will restore 3.2 acres of forest and meadow at DWL’s Roberts Farm. Complementary work will include the planning and installing of an interpretive trail open to the public, and the construction of a terrace/viewing platform where public events and educational activities will be hosted, fostering a new generation of environmentalists and expanding the impact of DWL’s miss
• Plastic Free Delaware, Inc. ($5,000): This project will provide infrastructure and education to four organizations so their community garden members can produce and use high quality compost developed onsite. They will focus on providing resources to community gardens primarily located within areas highlighted on the EPA’s IRA Disadvantaged Communities Map, ensuring the community gardens that have the greatest need get the resources necessary to effectively turn their garden residuals into finished, quality compost that will improve their soil.
• Milford Housing Development Corporation ($10,000): Energy efficiency is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to combat climate change, reduce energy costs for consumers, and improve the competitiveness of U.S. businesses. Energy efficiency is also a vital component in achieving net-zero emissions of carbon dioxide through decarbonization. A Go Green Lawn Equipment package will be given to new homeowners to help curb carbon emissions and reduce noise pollution. The package will consist of either an EGO Power Mower or a package of lawn EGO lawn equipment including a weed trimer, leaf blower and hedger.
• Urban Bike Project of Wilmington, Inc. ($10,000): The Urban Bike Project seeks to build community resilience through improved access to sustainable transportation, such as walking and biking, which builds economic resilience by connecting residents with jobs, resources, and opportunities. It also builds environmental resilience by reducing the demand for nonpermeable surface parking lots, reducing carbon emissions and other air pollutants, and reducing run-off pollutants into local water sources.
• Whitehall Community Garden Association ($5,000): The Whitehall Community Garden Association is using land next to the Lorewood Grove Elementary School to build a combined community and school garden through collaboration with the school, the neighborhood, and several established Delaware garden organizations. The garden will serve many purposes centering on health, nutrition, education, and community engagement.

These grants are a key component of Delmarva Power’s long-term commitment to supporting Delaware and Maryland in reaching their clean energy and climate goals. As part of this commitment, Delmarva Power is actively working to reduce its greenhouse gas footprint while offering innovative solutions to empower customers and communities to reduce their emissions. The effort supports the broader Path to Clean goal of its parent company, Exelon, to reduce its operations-driven emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero operations by 2050.

To learn more about Delmarva Power, visit The Source, Delmarva Power’s online newsroom. Find additional information by visiting delmarva.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/DelmarvaPower and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/DelmarvaConnect. Delmarva Power’s mobile app is available at delmarva.com/MobileApp.

Delmarva Power is a unit of Exelon (Nasdaq: EXC), a Fortune 250 company and the nation’s largest utility company, serving more than 10 million customers. Delmarva Power provides safe and reliable energy service to approximately 561,500 electric customers in Delaware and Maryland and approximately 140,000 natural gas customers in northern Delaware.

About Delaware Nature Society:

Delaware Nature Society’s (DelNature) mission is to connect people and nature to create a healthy environment through education, advocacy, and conservation. Founded in 1964, DelNature is a state affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation. They provide the tools for communities to take action and promote the environment's health through land preservation, wildlife protection, watershed stewardship, and more. They manage over 2,000 acres of land and operate four educational sites: Ashland Nature Center, Abbott’s Mill Nature Center, DuPont Environmental Education Center, and Coverdale Farm Preserve.