Author: sHq_LoGiNz

Georgia AG Carr Joins National PSA Campaign to Encourage Reporting of Gift Card Fraud

ATLANTA, Dec. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Honorable Chris Carr, Attorney General of Georgia, together with Attorneys General from 13 other states, launched a public service announcement (PSA) campaign paid for by the Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance aimed at protecting consumers from the growing threat of gift card scams. This collaborative effort comes as millions of Americans prepare to redeem gift cards received during the holiday season—a prime opportunity for scammers to target unsuspecting individuals.

Watch AG Carr’s Gift Card PSA

The PSAs will run December 26, 2025, through January 31, 2026, and feature a unified message from state AGs that gift cards are safe while urging consumers to remain vigilant against gift card scams. The campaign highlights common fraud tactics, offers tips for safe gift card usage, and encourages the public to immediately report any incidents of gift card fraud to their respective state attorney general offices. 

Watch the National PSA

Gift card scams often involve fraudsters impersonating trusted organizations or individuals and pressuring victims to purchase gift cards and share the codes. These schemes can result in significant financial loss and emotional distress for consumers.

“We’re proud to work with RILA, the Georgia Retailers, and AGA to protect Georgia consumers and retailers from gift card fraud and scams,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “This holiday season, we encourage Georgians to take the necessary precautions to safeguard their personal and financial information, particularly as they’re making purchases online. We want to ensure your hard-earned dollars are kept safe, and Georgia’s employers are positioned to thrive.”

“We thank Attorney General Chris Carr for his leadership in fighting organized retail crime and protecting Georgia consumers. This holiday season, our goal is simple: help shoppers enjoy gift cards safely and confidently, with the information they need to use them wisely,” Shelby Dotson, Executive Director, Georgia Retailers.

“By joining forces with AGs, the top legal and consumer protection officer in each state, we’re sending a powerful message to the criminals committing gift card fraud and giving consumers tools to protect themselves and loved ones,” said Lisa LaBruno, Executive Director of the RILA Communities Foundation which leads the Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance. “It takes a village to combat gift card fraud, and it’s critical to get the word out so consumers know about these scams and how to avoid them.” 

To recognize and avoid gift card scams, consumers should remember: government agencies and reputable companies will never demand payment via gift cards; requests for immediate action or secrecy are red flags.

If you or someone you know has been targeted by a gift card scam, report the incident to the Georgia Attorney General’s Office immediately. Every report helps us track criminal activity and build stronger cases against criminal networks operating gift card scams.

For more information about the PSA campaign and resources on preventing gift card fraud, please visit the Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance website or your state attorney general’s official page. 

The Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance formed in 2024 and is part of the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) Communities Foundation (RCF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, with a mission to promote, foster, and encourage the vibrancy of communities in which retailers operate by supporting efforts to advance economic health and public safety. RCF leads the Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance (GCFPA) which was created to educate lawmakers and the public about gift card fraud, enhance collaboration among the private and public sectors to investigate criminal activity, and drive innovation to combat fraud. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ags-unite-to-keep-gift-cards-safe-302648235.html

SOURCE Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance

Company Makes Process Publicly Available to Help Those Seeking to Remove PFAS from their Operations

DALTON, Ga., Dec. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Global flooring provider and sustainability leader Shaw Industries (Shaw) has invented a new testing methodology that allows organizations to detect PFAS (perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances) in their operations.

The methodology was developed as part of the company’s rigorous efforts to keep PFAS out of its manufacturing processes.

Shaw ceased using PFAS-based materials to repel soil and stains in all of its U.S. carpet products by January 2019 – contractually requiring its third-party suppliers to provide materials that did not contain PFAS. However, through its ongoing due diligence, Shaw found that testing was needed to prevent PFAS from entering its manufacturing processes because suppliers oftentimes did not know that PFAS were in the materials they were selling.

“When materials we purchased were tested using existing protocols, they would show non-detect for PFAS, but what we discovered is that drinking water testing wasn’t accurate for soaps, oils, resins, and other solid materials – really anything other than drinking water,” Kellie Ballew, Shaw vice president of environmental affairs noted, adding, “An adequate testing methodology didn’t exist, so we invented one.”

About PFAS
PFAS, a group of nearly 15,000 chemicals (source: EPA), have been used in a wide variety of industrial applications since the 1940s and are used in hundreds of everyday products including soap, pizza boxes, microwave popcorn bags, cosmetics, dental floss, contact lenses and other items for heat, soil or stain resistance. As a result, they are ubiquitous in society.

Since filing for the patent in December 2024, Shaw has used this methodology to uncover PFAS in more than 60 materials where PFAS testing previously showed ‘non-detect’ levels.

“Working with our suppliers over the past year, we’ve sought feedback regarding the impact of this new testing methodology to understand, its ease of use, and the various ways in which it might be applied. Based upon those learnings and confirmation of the viability of this testing to others, we wanted to more proactively share the patent-pending process with others because this isn’t carpet issue or even a manufacturing issue. Until chemical manufacturers stop making PFAS, anyone looking to remove these chemistries from their products, operations or supply chains will have to be as diligent as we’ve been. And I hope that by sharing our testing innovation, others don’t have to start from scratch like we did,” Ballew concluded.

About the testing methodology:
Developed by Shaw scientist Clay Hampton, the methodology focuses on how test samples are prepared. The process mimics the impacts of time, temperature and PH that materials are typically exposed to in industrial settings revealing PFAS that are otherwise hidden in the ingredients companies purchase. Learn more: https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2025217656A2/en?oq=WO2025217656A2

ABOUT SHAW
Shaw Industries Group, Inc. is a leader in flooring and other surface solutions designed for residential housing, commercial spaces and outdoor environments. Leveraging strengths in design, innovation and operational excellence, the company takes a people-centered, customer-focused, and growth-minded approach to meet diverse market needs. It creates differentiated customer experiences through its expansive portfolio of brands: Anderson Tuftex®, COREtec®, Shaw Floors®, Patcraft®, Philadelphia Commercial®, Shaw Contract®, Shaw Sports Turf®, Shawgrass®, Southwest Greens®, Watershed Geo® and more.

Headquartered in Dalton, Ga., Shaw is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. with approximately $6 billion in annual sales and 18,000 associates worldwide. 

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SOURCE Shaw Industries Group, Inc.

76% of voters support providing free school breakfast to all K-12 Maryland students

Three other states, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas have recently implemented free school breakfast for all students.

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Dec. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A supermajority of Maryland voters support providing free school breakfast to all Maryland students, according to a new poll released today by Solving Hunger, a project of Tusk Philanthropies.

“With so much nutrition uncertainty at the federal level, states are taking matters into their own hands, and as the next legislative session kicks off in Annapolis, we urge all elected officials to step up. If Arkansas can feed all of their kids breakfast, surely Maryland can do what’s right and do what is proven to work and feed its own,” said Lisa Quigley, Director of Solving Hunger.

In the survey of 600 registered voters conducted between December 4-8, 2025 by Hart research, more than three-quarters of voters favored providing free breakfast to all K-12 students in Maryland. 60% of voters strongly support this proposal and 62% of voters said they would be more likely to vote for a state legislator that voted for this proposal. On the contrary, 56% of voters would be less likely to vote for a legislator that voted against this proposal.

Free breakfast for students is such a popular policy that even as voters were read criticisms of the program during the survey, support only fell by 5 points. The survey also revealed the strongest argument in favor of school meals — that the current eligibility level is exceedingly low and wealthy school districts do not offer free meals to students in need:

“Given low federal eligibility standards, many students who don’t qualify for free school meals now come from families who are still struggling. To qualify for free meals for this school year in Maryland, a family of four has to make less than $42,000 a year. When grocery bills are so high, many families making more than $42,000 a year are still struggling. And in many of the so-called wealthy school districts across Maryland who don’t currently offer universal free school meals, there are still kids who don’t come from wealthy families, meaning those kids are going hungry.”

Three other states, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas have implemented free school breakfast for all students. Nine states, including Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, California, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and Michigan are all providing free school meals, both breakfast and lunch. The cost of the proposal in Maryland is $36 million annually, with the federal government already paying the lion’s share of the school breakfast and lunch programs.

To learn more, visit https://solvinghungermd.com

About Solving Hunger Maryland
Solving Hunger Maryland, along with Solving Hunger, a project of Tusk Philanthropies, is dedicated to addressing food insecurity through expansion of school meals in states. We are committed to getting food to kids, many of whom rely on school meals as their primary source of daily nutrition. Solving Hunger Maryland is on a mission to educate the public and pass state funding to increase access to school meals in Maryland, starting with universal school breakfast.

CONTACT: cory@tuskholdings.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-poll-shows-overwhelming-support-for-school-breakfast-for-all-maryland-students-302648178.html

SOURCE Solving Hunger

76% of voters support providing free school breakfast to all K-12 Maryland students

Three other states, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas have recently implemented free school breakfast for all students.

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Dec. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A supermajority of Maryland voters support providing free school breakfast to all Maryland students, according to a new poll released today by Solving Hunger, a project of Tusk Philanthropies.

“With so much nutrition uncertainty at the federal level, states are taking matters into their own hands, and as the next legislative session kicks off in Annapolis, we urge all elected officials to step up. If Arkansas can feed all of their kids breakfast, surely Maryland can do what’s right and do what is proven to work and feed its own,” said Lisa Quigley, Director of Solving Hunger.

In the survey of 600 registered voters conducted between December 4-8, 2025 by Hart research, more than three-quarters of voters favored providing free breakfast to all K-12 students in Maryland. 60% of voters strongly support this proposal and 62% of voters said they would be more likely to vote for a state legislator that voted for this proposal. On the contrary, 56% of voters would be less likely to vote for a legislator that voted against this proposal.

Free breakfast for students is such a popular policy that even as voters were read criticisms of the program during the survey, support only fell by 5 points. The survey also revealed the strongest argument in favor of school meals — that the current eligibility level is exceedingly low and wealthy school districts do not offer free meals to students in need:

“Given low federal eligibility standards, many students who don’t qualify for free school meals now come from families who are still struggling. To qualify for free meals for this school year in Maryland, a family of four has to make less than $42,000 a year. When grocery bills are so high, many families making more than $42,000 a year are still struggling. And in many of the so-called wealthy school districts across Maryland who don’t currently offer universal free school meals, there are still kids who don’t come from wealthy families, meaning those kids are going hungry.”

Three other states, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas have implemented free school breakfast for all students. Nine states, including Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, California, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and Michigan are all providing free school meals, both breakfast and lunch. The cost of the proposal in Maryland is $36 million annually, with the federal government already paying the lion’s share of the school breakfast and lunch programs.

To learn more, visit https://solvinghungermd.com

About Solving Hunger Maryland
Solving Hunger Maryland, along with Solving Hunger, a project of Tusk Philanthropies, is dedicated to addressing food insecurity through expansion of school meals in states. We are committed to getting food to kids, many of whom rely on school meals as their primary source of daily nutrition. Solving Hunger Maryland is on a mission to educate the public and pass state funding to increase access to school meals in Maryland, starting with universal school breakfast.

CONTACT: cory@tuskholdings.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-poll-shows-overwhelming-support-for-school-breakfast-for-all-maryland-students-302648178.html

SOURCE Solving Hunger

For the second consecutive year, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital has received the
Immunization Friendly Birth Hospital award for continued excellence in protecting vulnerable infants from RSV.

LONG BEACH, Calif., Dec. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — For the second year in a row, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital has been recognized by the California Department of Public Health with the prestigious Immunization Friendly Birth Hospital Award for its leadership in infant immunization. The award highlights the hospital’s exceptional work in protecting infants against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) during the 2024-25 RSV season.

As part of the Vaccines for Children Program, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital administered nirsevimab, an injectable monoclonal antibody that prevents severe RSV, to more than 800 eligible infants between October 2024 and March 2025. This proactive immunization effort reduces the risk of life-threatening respiratory infections in infants and young children, providing critical protection against a virus that can lead to serious complications.

“We are deeply honored to receive this recognition from the California Department of Public Health,” says Graham Tse, M.D., chief medical officer, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital. “This award reflects the unwavering commitment of our care team to protect the health and well-being of our youngest patients. By prioritizing having nirsevimab available and educating our parents on the benefits of vaccination, we are making meaningful strides in preventing severe RSV and enhancing health outcomes for infants throughout our community.”

Vaccination efforts are critical for the health and safety of infants, especially those born prematurely or with underlying health conditions. Children’s hospitals, like Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital, play a pivotal role in ensuring that infants receive the preventive care they need during the earliest and most vulnerable stages of life. By providing targeted immunization programs, hospitals can help prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and improve long-term health outcomes. The award highlights Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital’s ongoing commitment to infant health and safety, further cementing its position as a leader in pediatric care.

The Vaccines for Children Program is a federally funded initiative that provides vaccines to children who might not otherwise have access due to financial or insurance barriers. Programs like this help reduce disparities in healthcare access, ensuring that all infants—regardless of socioeconomic background—can be protected against preventable diseases. Continued support for initiatives like Vaccines for Children is essential to maintaining equitable access to preventive care and safeguarding vulnerable populations from serious infections.

“As a children’s hospital, our mission is to ensure every child has the opportunity to grow up healthy,” says Dr. Tse. “Our involvement in the Vaccines for Children Program underscores the vital role of early prevention in protecting the health of our patients and reducing the impact of serious infections. We are incredibly proud of our team’s dedication and the measurable difference they continue to make in the lives of families throughout our community.”

About Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital:
Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital, part of MemorialCare, a not-for-profit, integrated healthcare system, stands as one of only eight free-standing children’s hospitals in California. It is the only hospital in the state to offer the 7D Surgical System for pediatric spine surgery. Treating nearly 13,000 children annually, the hospital has become a regional hub for over 69,000 children who require specialized outpatient care. These services are provided through the Cherese Mari Laulhere Children’s Village Outpatient Center and satellite centers in Torrance, Fountain Valley, and Irvine. With maternal-fetal medicine specialists and neonatologists available around the clock, the hospital ensures comprehensive care for high-risk pregnancies and premature infants. Miller Children’s & Women’s is nationally recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care. Visit millerchildrens.org.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/miller-childrens–womens-hospital-earns-state-recognition-for-infant-immunization-leadership-302648171.html

SOURCE Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital

For the second consecutive year, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital has received the
Immunization Friendly Birth Hospital award for continued excellence in protecting vulnerable infants from RSV.

LONG BEACH, Calif., Dec. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — For the second year in a row, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital has been recognized by the California Department of Public Health with the prestigious Immunization Friendly Birth Hospital Award for its leadership in infant immunization. The award highlights the hospital’s exceptional work in protecting infants against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) during the 2024-25 RSV season.

As part of the Vaccines for Children Program, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital administered nirsevimab, an injectable monoclonal antibody that prevents severe RSV, to more than 800 eligible infants between October 2024 and March 2025. This proactive immunization effort reduces the risk of life-threatening respiratory infections in infants and young children, providing critical protection against a virus that can lead to serious complications.

“We are deeply honored to receive this recognition from the California Department of Public Health,” says Graham Tse, M.D., chief medical officer, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital. “This award reflects the unwavering commitment of our care team to protect the health and well-being of our youngest patients. By prioritizing having nirsevimab available and educating our parents on the benefits of vaccination, we are making meaningful strides in preventing severe RSV and enhancing health outcomes for infants throughout our community.”

Vaccination efforts are critical for the health and safety of infants, especially those born prematurely or with underlying health conditions. Children’s hospitals, like Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital, play a pivotal role in ensuring that infants receive the preventive care they need during the earliest and most vulnerable stages of life. By providing targeted immunization programs, hospitals can help prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and improve long-term health outcomes. The award highlights Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital’s ongoing commitment to infant health and safety, further cementing its position as a leader in pediatric care.

The Vaccines for Children Program is a federally funded initiative that provides vaccines to children who might not otherwise have access due to financial or insurance barriers. Programs like this help reduce disparities in healthcare access, ensuring that all infants—regardless of socioeconomic background—can be protected against preventable diseases. Continued support for initiatives like Vaccines for Children is essential to maintaining equitable access to preventive care and safeguarding vulnerable populations from serious infections.

“As a children’s hospital, our mission is to ensure every child has the opportunity to grow up healthy,” says Dr. Tse. “Our involvement in the Vaccines for Children Program underscores the vital role of early prevention in protecting the health of our patients and reducing the impact of serious infections. We are incredibly proud of our team’s dedication and the measurable difference they continue to make in the lives of families throughout our community.”

About Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital:
Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital, part of MemorialCare, a not-for-profit, integrated healthcare system, stands as one of only eight free-standing children’s hospitals in California. It is the only hospital in the state to offer the 7D Surgical System for pediatric spine surgery. Treating nearly 13,000 children annually, the hospital has become a regional hub for over 69,000 children who require specialized outpatient care. These services are provided through the Cherese Mari Laulhere Children’s Village Outpatient Center and satellite centers in Torrance, Fountain Valley, and Irvine. With maternal-fetal medicine specialists and neonatologists available around the clock, the hospital ensures comprehensive care for high-risk pregnancies and premature infants. Miller Children’s & Women’s is nationally recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care. Visit millerchildrens.org.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/miller-childrens–womens-hospital-earns-state-recognition-for-infant-immunization-leadership-302648171.html

SOURCE Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital

• Through employee giving, the dollar value of volunteer service and Duke Energy Foundation matching funds, more than $1 million was invested in the communities the company serves

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In 2025, Duke Energy Florida employees once again demonstrated their commitment to strengthening the communities the company serves. Together, their generosity helped drive more than $1 million in community investment through local nonprofit organizations.

From January through November, Duke Energy Florida employees contributed more than $293,000 to causes they care about and volunteered nearly 11,000 hours in the communities where they live and work. The value of those volunteer hours totals more than $380,000. Through Duke Energy Foundation, employee donations and volunteer time were matched with more than $387,000, amplifying the impact even further.

“Caring for our customers is intrinsic to the work Duke Energy employees do every day, so it’s no surprise that they would choose to continue giving back however they can,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “I’m proud to work alongside these incredibly generous men and women who are living out our company’s core principles, and in turn, creating real, tangible value for the people and communities we serve.”

Throughout the year, Duke Energy Foundation made additional investments across Duke Energy Florida’s 35-county service territory, including $300,000 for climate resiliency initiatives, $789,000 to support colleges and universities, $163,000 in emergency preparedness and resiliency grants and $125,000 in grants to combat food insecurity.

Duke Energy knows customers are feeling higher costs everywhere, and the company is focused on keeping its own costs in check while also connecting customers with practical ways to save and lower their bills. For more information, please visit duke-energy.com/SeasonalSavings. 

Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida. 

Duke Energy 
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company’s electric utilities serve 8.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. 

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious energy transition, keeping customer reliability and value at the forefront as it builds a smarter energy future. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables and energy storage. 

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition. 

Contact: Aly Raschid
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
X: @DE_AlyRaschid

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/duke-energy-florida-employees-continue-to-power-meaningful-change-in-2025-302648135.html

SOURCE Duke Energy