Month: March 2023

Over $75 Million Distributed to 77,000 Customers in North CarolinaCollaboration Key to Success in Assisting Customers in Need

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 7, 2023 /3BL Media/ – As rising prices for many goods and services hit families and businesses across its territory over the last year, Duke Energy helped nearly 190,000 residential customers gain access to nearly $200 million in funds to help pay their energy bills in 2022.

Initiated at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Duke Energy Agency Team collaborates with over 1,500 agencies in helping customers in need with bill payment assistance. This work includes proactive engagement of customers to educate them of their eligibility for dollars available through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). In 2022, the team helped to distribute more than $191 million to over 189,000 customers in Duke Energy’s service territory. LIHEAP funds the State of North Carolina’s Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) and Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP). In North Carolina, the team helped distribute more than $75 million to assist almost 77,000 customers.

Currently, the team is working with partners to send over 50,000 text messages and emails to inform customers in Mecklenburg County, N.C., of their income eligibility for LIEAP assistance.

“It is more important than ever for all parties to work collaboratively to help households in need,” said Lesley Quick, vice president, customer technology, advocacy, regulatory and business support. “Through our proactive outreach to customers, we are reaching those who previously could not access assistance. This partnership with our nonprofit agencies allows us to better assist the customers in the communities we serve.”

“Our partnership with Duke Energy is invaluable, ” said Ginny Harper, community program coordinator with Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services (DSS). “During FY22, our collaboration with Duke Energy’s Agency Team helped allow us to provide over $8.8 million in heating and cooling costs to Mecklenburg County households. The work we’re doing creates a win-win-win by providing needed financial assistance for customers and reinforcing Duke’s commitment while increasing their visibility within Mecklenburg. Lastly, it potentially opens the door for DSS to receive additional funding to assist even more residents of Mecklenburg County. We appreciate Duke Energy’s partnership and the value they provide to our county.”

Eligibility criteria may include age and income restrictions. Interested customers may find more information at Low-Income Energy Assistance at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy Agency Team is part of the company’s larger strategy of supporting customers in need, which also includes collaboration with elected officials at the state and federal levels to increase assistance levels and expansion of customer participation in energy efficiency programs and services to mitigate high bills.

To assist customers struggling with energy costs, Duke Energy also offers a robust set of programs including Budget Billing, Installment Payment Plans, Share the Light Fund and Due Date Extensions.

Duke Energy Carolinas

Duke Energy Carolinas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 19,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2.8 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 24,000-square-mile service area in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,600 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2023 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “World’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: Keith Richardson 
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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Originally published on DICK’S Sporting Goods News Room

PITTSBURGH, March 7, 2023 /3BL Media/ — DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) and Just Women’s Sports (JWS), the leading multimedia platform exclusively dedicated to women’s sports, are partnering with WNBA Champion, 2x WNBA MVP and Olympic gold medalist Elena Delle Donne; WNBA MVP and champion, Olympic gold medalist, and 4x NCAA champion and 4x Most Outstanding Player Breanna Stewart; 2018 NCAA champion and MVP Arike Ogunbowale; 2021 WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist Stefanie Dolson; 2022 NCAA champion Destanni Henderson; and 2021 WNBA Rookie of the Year Michaela Onyenwere to launch their second annual women’s college basketball Bracket Challenge, offering $150,000 to the winner.

Starting today, fans can register to participate on the official JWS x DICK’S Bracket Challenge website. On March 12, once tournament teams have been named, fans can begin filling out their selections. Bracket submissions will close on March 17 at the start of the first tournament game. In addition to the grand prize, $250 DICK’S gift cards will be awarded to the second and third place winners. This is the second year DICK’S and JWS have partnered on a Bracket Challenge with the goal of engaging women’s basketball fans and athletes alike.

“Basketball has been one of the most transformative agents in my life, and I am excited to help spread the word for basketball fans and athletes of all ages,” said Delle Donne. “The tournament is a special time of year and with such parity in the women’s game, I’m interested to see who fans pick to win it all.”

Emily Syverud, the 2022 JWS x DICK’S Bracket Challenge winner, followed the women’s college basketball season via Just Women’s Sports and filled out her bracket based on the insight she picked up along the way, rooting for her dad’s alma mater – University of Iowa – and her favorite powerhouse teams. Emily, a graduate from the University of Minnesota Medical School, used the winnings to help pay off her medical school student loans, donate to Twin Cities nonprofits like Keystone Community Services and treat her fiancé to a ski trip in Switzerland for his 30th birthday.

“It was great to see increased interest in the women’s tournament last year,” said Kate Fedishen, DICK’S Sporting Goods Vice President of Global Brand and Category Marketing. “We hope to encourage even more fans to fill out a women’s bracket and enjoy one of the most exciting times of the sports year: March basketball!”

“We had incredible success with our partner DICK’S Sporting Goods last year and are excited to launch our second annual Bracket Challenge,” said Haley Rosen, Just Women’s Sports’ Founder, and CEO. “Just Women’s Sports’ mission is to bring hype and excitement across the women’s game and we’re giving the passionate fans of women’s college basketball a way to experience and be a part of this year’s tournament.”

JWS x DICK’S Bracket Challenge Details
The 64-team Bracket Challenge will give fans an accessible and exciting destination with news and analysis to help make predictions and compete among friends. In addition, fans can follow an array of All-Star athletes on the JWS website as they try to walk away with a perfect bracket.

For complete contest rules, please visit: justwomenssports.com/bracketchallengerules

Category: Company

MEDIA CONTACT
Just Women’s Sports: press@justwsports.com
DICK’S Sporting Goods: press@dcsg.com

About Just Women’s Sports Inc.
Just Women’s Sports Inc. is a digital-first consumer media brand dedicated to 100% women’s sports, 100% of the time. Through digital content, original programming, live events and more, JWS brings fans everything they need to see and know in the world of women’s sports.

Just Women’s Sports is proudly backed by an All-Star group of investors, including Blue Pool Capital, Will Ventures, and Thirty Five Ventures, as well as a roster of world-famous athletes including Billie Jean King, Allyson Felix and Abby Wambach.

Find Just Women’s Sports online at justwomenssports.com and on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

About DICK’S Sporting Goods
DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) creates confidence and excitement by personally equipping all athletes to achieve their dreams. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, the leading omnichannel retailer serves athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in more than 850 DICK’S Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Public Lands, Going Going Gone! and Warehouse Sale stores, online, and through the DICK’S mobile app. DICK’S also owns and operates DICK’S House of Sport and Golf Galaxy Performance Center, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile platform for live streaming, scheduling, communications and scorekeeping .

Driven by its belief that sports make people better, DICK’S has been a longtime champion for youth sports and, together with its Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to support under-resourced teams and athletes through the Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about DICK’S business, corporate giving, sustainability efforts and employment opportunities can be found on dicks.com, investors.dicks.com, sportsmatter.org, dickssportinggoods.jobs and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

SOURCE DICK’S Sporting Goods

Originally published by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education

Although students, job seekers, and career changers are optimistic about the growth of STEM jobs and believe that digital credentials are useful, many have low awareness of the opportunities that are available, according to a report commissioned by IBM and conducted by Morning Consult.

“There are many misconceptions about what’s needed to pursue a rewarding and lucrative career in today’s rapidly advancing workplace,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, chief impact officer at IBM. “This is why we must raise awareness of the breadth of science and technology roles that exist across industries.”

Continue reading here.

Alison Lewis, Kimberly-Clark’s chief growth officer, and Lori Shaffer, the company’s vice president of global nonwovens, are committed to driving positive change for women and girls around the world. In honor of International Women’s Day, we spoke with Alison and Lori about the power of embracing equity, steps that organizations can take to better support women in the workplace and at home, the women who inspire them, and what they hope for moving forward. 

This is part 2 of a 2-part series – view part 1

Q: What can all organizations do to create workplaces that better support women?

AL: There’s incredible power in building diverse teams. Diversity creates belonging and fosters an environment where everyone brings their best selves to work. In my experience, teams of only one gender are lacking. They often experience groupthink and create cliques and environments of exclusion. That’s why it’s so important for men to be allies in the workplace and embrace a new ‘normal’ for equity and equality to truly take place.

LS: Companies can support women by engaging in authentic dialogue and keeping channels of communication open. It’s important to ask women what they’re most passionate about both inside and outside of work, creating a culture that empowers them to pursue both.

For me, this looks like having the flexibility to take an hour out of my day to be a reader in my daughter’s kindergarten class, or participating in an engineering panel at my son’s high school. Women should be able to do things like this without feeling guilty, and company culture plays a critical role in creating such an environment.

Q: What’s the value of women’s-focused employee resource groups?

LS: I’m actively involved in our Women’s Inclusion Network (WIN), and I love it. Employee resource groups (ERGs) like WIN foster relationships, provide mentorship opportunities and open leadership development pathways.

I’ve been both a speaker and part of the mentoring/small group programs, and many ideas have come from hearing individuals share the challenges they face daily. These women’s-focused groups provide an opportunity for the candid conversations required to make continued progress on our journey to embracing equity.

Q: In the midst of a global pandemic, women and girls have faced numerous setbacks both professionally and personally over the last few years that have negatively impacted their progress. What gives you hope, and what do you hope for moving forward?

AL: I saw so many women drop out of the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic because they felt they had no other choice. Schools and daycares were closed, and we suddenly didn’t have our normal support systems.

I am hopeful when I think about the positive changes and cultural shifts that I’ve seen come from those years. For example, the flexibility of working from home for many professional jobs has helped eliminate the ‘bad employee and bad mother’ syndrome. There’s less guilt around being a mom and working because there’s more flexibility. Now, you can read to your kid’s class at school and still make the work meeting afterwards instead of choosing one or the other. That is a game changer.

The pandemic also forced us all to think differently about what’s most important, and I’ve seen women stay truer to themselves because of it. Women’s empowerment is a force to be reckoned with…we had a chance to reflect on our priorities and pursue them versus living in the old state where the fear of missing out often dominated our lives.

Q: Is there a woman in your life who inspires you? If so, how?

AL: I’ve been surrounded by so many inspiring females throughout my life, including my great-grandmother who grew up as a pioneer in Canada in the mid-1860s. She was one of 10 children and moved by herself to Chicago at 30 years old to start her career and step away from the traditional pioneering life.

My grandmother was also a trailblazer and someone I deeply admire. She went to university in 1918, taught school and had children in her late 30s – this was all very uncommon in that era. She would have no doubt been a CEO in today’s landscape, but she lived in a time where that wasn’t possible.

Both my great-grandmother and grandmother embraced life, were incredibly resilient, and didn’t let fictional constraints hold them back. My mom, my sisters and I have all followed in their footsteps, and I am so proud to come from a line of strong, independent women.

LS: My inspiration is my mom. She’s a teacher, and she became one at a time when most women stayed home. She has always been curious, and she taught both my brother and I to continuously ask questions and think critically.

She also had her own unique challenges, which I appreciate more now as an adult. She did what she needed to do at that time in her life and made sure her kids had every opportunity to chase their passions. That’s the kind of mom I strive to be. I want my children to look back and know I did my very best to pave a better way for them.

CLEVELAND, March 7, 2023 /3BL Media/ – KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) and KeyBank Real Estate Capital (KBREC) provided $49 million of financing for Columbia Residential (“Columbia”), a partner of the Tallahassee Housing Authority, to construct an affordable housing property in Tallahassee, Florida.

CDLI provided a $33 million construction loan and a $15.9 million Freddie Forward Commitment permanent loan to fund the new construction of Magnolia Family II. The property includes a total of 160 units, of which 128 units will meet income restricted requirements of 33% and 60% or less of the area median income (AMI). The remaining 32 units will remain at market rate value. 

Residents of Magnolia will receive supportive services at no cost including:

Employment Assistance Program (EAP): Quarterly scheduled EAP workshops/meetings offering employment counseling and skills workshops providing instruction in the basic skills necessary for getting, keeping, and doing well in a job. Financial Management Program: Quarterly classes to provide residents training in various aspects of personal financial management including financial budgeting and bill-paying, tax preparation, fraud prevention, retirement planning/savings, and homebuyer education including how to prepare to buy a home, and how to access to first-time homebuyer programs in the county in which the development is located. Adult Literacy: Literacy tutor(s) who will provide weekly literacy lessons to residents in private space on-site.

The project also received support from RBC, which provided a $19.5 million equity investment through the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) program, as well as approval from the Tallahassee Housing Authority, for Project-Based Voucher Assistance. 

Magnolia Family II is the second phase of the redevelopment of a public housing complex operated by the Tallahassee Housing Authority, which was originally constructed between 1971 and 1972. CDLI and KBREC provided financing for Magnolia Family Phase I and is scheduled to be complete by November 1, 2023. The demand for affordable housing has increased in Tallahassee and both Magnolia Phase I and Phase II have received financial support from all levels of government to make the properties a success. 

Reginald Fenn of CDLI and Leslie Meyers of KBREC structured the financing. 

About KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment
KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) finances projects that stabilize and revitalize communities across all 50 states. As one of the top affordable housing capital providers in the country, KeyBank’s platform brings together construction, acquisition, bridge-to-re-syndication, and preservation loans, as well as lines of credit, Agency and HUD permanent mortgage executions, and equity investments for low-income housing projects, especially Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financing. KeyBank has earned 10 consecutive “Outstanding” ratings on the Community Reinvestment Act exam, from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, making it the first U.S. national bank among the 25 largest to do so since the Act’s passage in 1977.

About KeyCorp 
KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $189.8 billion at December 31, 2022. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications, and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 7, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Bath & Body Works today announced that it was named a Diversity First Top 50 Company by the Diversity Research Institute. The award recognizes organizations that demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Diversity Research Institute (DRI) recognizes Fortune 500 employers following extensive research and analysis into the racial and gender diversity of executive and board membership. As of Jan. 31, 2023, women make up approximately 55% of Bath & Body Works director level and above roles, including Chief Executive Officer, Gina Boswell, and 50% of the members of the company’s Board of Directors, including Board Chair, Sarah Nash.

Bolstering this recognition, Bath & Body Works also recently joined the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™, with CEO Gina Boswell as a signatory, to strengthen the company’s commitment to advancing DEI. The coalition is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance DEI in the workplace. It brings together more than 2,400 CEOs who have pledged to cultivate environments that support open dialogue on complex DEI conversations, share DEI best practices and more.

“This recognition is a powerful example of what we can achieve when creating a culture where everyone truly belongs,” says Bath & Body Works CEO Gina Boswell. “At Bath & Body Works, our purpose goes beyond selling products. We believe that diversity, equity and inclusion make us stronger, and it’s woven into all facets of our business.”

For more information on Bath & Body Works’ DEI efforts, visit bbwinc.com.

ABOUT BATH & BODY WORKS

Home of America’s Favorite Fragrances®, Bath & Body Works is a global leader in personal care and home fragrance, including the top-selling collections for fine fragrance mist, body lotion and body cream, 3-wick candles, home fragrance diffusers and liquid hand soap. Powered by agility and innovation, the company’s predominantly U.S.-based supply chain enables the company to deliver quality, on-trend luxuries at affordable prices. Bath & Body Works serves and delights customers however and wherever they want to shop, from welcoming, in-store experiences at more than 1,800 company-operated Bath & Body Works locations in the U.S. and Canada and more than 425 international franchised locations to an online storefront at BathandBodyWorks.com.

For more information, please contact:

Bath & Body Works, Inc.: 
Media Relations 
Emmy Beach 
Communications@bbw.com