Tag: 3BL

By Page Leggett | illumination Contributor

Unless students have a family member who works at a utility, they may not think of Duke Energy as a viable career path. It’s the sort of thing that motivates Melvin Philpot – both in his 43 years at the company and in his role as community outreach committee chair for the American Association of Black Engineers’ (AABE) Florida chapter.

“When middle schoolers walk down their streets and see lineworkers atop utility poles, we want them to think of the energy industry for potentially high-earnings jobs,” said Philpot, products and services manager in Lake Mary, Fla.

More than a decade ago, Philpot attended an AABE-sponsored youth career forum with Duke Energy Managing Director Malcolm Barnes; they liked the idea of introducing students from diverse neighborhoods to viable, good-paying jobs in the energy sector and wondered if Duke Energy could offer something similar.

Michael Lewis, then-EVP of a Duke Energy predecessor company, encouraged them to add a craft and technical component to the curriculum for students who may not be college-bound. And with a $2,000 donation from AABE to help launch the new initiative, the Youth Energy Academy – YEA, for short – was born.

Through hands-on activities and live demonstrations, YEA proactively gains the interest of an emerging workforce by educating young people about the opportunities that exist. The annual career readiness program also aims to advance diversity, equity and inclusion within the energy sector and related STEM fields by engaging eighth through 12th graders who may not have the same opportunities as other students.

“When you’re 15 and 16, you’re sort of looking for someone to tell you what the future holds. That’s where we come in,” said Chiquita Clark, supervisor of South Coastal Work Management at Duke Energy’s Clearwater Operations Center. “We can turn to our community’s youth and say: We’re people who look like you. Let us show you what we do, and if it looks interesting, we can help get you here.”

So many career paths

Clark, a member of AABE Florida, helped plan the 2024 St. Pete Youth Energy Academy, hosted at a Duke Energy power plant in Bartow, Fla. Close to 60 students – the maximum – attended the two-day event.

They heard, by video, from Erin Jackson, a former STEM student and speed skater from Ocala, Fla., who competed in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Jackson is a former AABE scholarship recipient who became the first Black woman to win a Winter Olympic gold in an individual sport in 2022; before that, she earned an engineering degree from the University of Florida.

Other sessions included a plant tour, “A Day as a Line Tech” workshop, an electric vehicle (EV) demonstration and a career panel that brought together a diverse group of employees at all stages of their careers.

The power of partnerships

YEA started small; the first academy attracted eight students. Vice President of Operations Dave Maxon encouraged Duke Energy’s African American employee resource group (ERG) to help develop the concept. Then Mikel Gordon, supervisor for energy efficiency services, joined the effort.

Bringing in partners to provide financial or in-kind support has helped YEA expand. Duke Energy and other neighboring utilities have signed on to help, as have community colleges, schools and nonprofits across the state.

Now it’s grown geographically to include six regions, including Ocala and Tallahassee. Three years ago, an academy was started in Lake Wales, Fla., at the majority Hispanic McLaughlin Academy of Excellence – the only remaining public middle school in Polk County.

“YEA would not have grown as it has – or been as successful – without its primary funder,” Philpot said. “And that’s the Duke Energy Foundation.”

Since 2016, Duke Energy and its Foundation have provided over $120,000 to AABE to support the academy.

‘Their goals are attainable’

At St. Petersburg College (SPC) – another YEA partner – more than 115 students in eighth through 12th grades have expressed an interest in STEM careers. Most are from underserved or low-income neighborhoods and are part of the College Reach Out Program (CROP), which aims to show these students they are college material, said Program Coordinator Keisha Blue.

That message is reinforced for CROP students who attend the academy. “Our students are meeting people who look like them,” Blue said. “They see themselves reflected back – and they get to see that their goals are attainable.”

Nearly all high school students who participate in CROP will graduate from high school, Blue said, and many will enroll at SPC.

“We’re dedicated to staying at the forefront of technology,” said Professor Chad Mairn, founder of SPC’s Innovation Lab. “We introduce artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, cybersecurity and many other emerging technologies to support and enhance the curriculum, which is relevant to contemporary STEM careers but also anticipates and prepares students for careers of the future – even careers that may not exist yet.”

It’s what you know and who you know

Some of the jobs YEA students may land after high school or college are unheard of now. Virtual reality developers, drone operators and sustainability managers didn’t exist a decade or so ago, and all are in demand today.

Bottom line: Students need to be ready for the STEM jobs that have yet to be created. And they need teachers, mentors, role models.

Philpot knows that mentors matter. As one of seven siblings from a single-parent family, he was going to work on railroad cars until a counselor encouraged him to go to community college. He earned his degree at night while working in customer service – “the one job that gives you a full view of the entire company.

“Working on the Youth Energy Academy has been gratifying because, I guess, I’ve helped to plant some seeds and be an ambassador for a great company,” Philpot said.

Clark, too, likes promoting Duke Energy. She joined the company as a contractor in 2014 and as a full-timer the following year. “From the beginning, it’s been like a big family,” she said. “The company is invested in developing employees. All you really have to do is have a desire to succeed.”

The department you start in, she’ll often tell students, doesn’t have to be the department you stay in.

“At Duke Energy, you can start as an admin or office manager and progress to a community relations manager,” she said. “We want students to understand just how many options they have here.”

When these students see a diverse workforce – and a diverse leadership team – they realize there’s a place for them at Duke Energy, too. Perhaps as a lineworker.

But not necessarily.

“Many students assume a Duke Energy career refers only to lineworkers,” Clark said. “And while we do talk about their indispensable work, we also showcase engineers, arborists, chemists, drone operators, helicopter pilots, the corporate communications team. While lineworkers play an essential role in keeping the lights on, there are so many other functions that help ensure our customers are served and our communities are thriving.”

View original content here.

Originally published by Lilith Hudson on Livingetc

Last summer clover lawns took off as a gardening trend, and if you still want a luscious green feel on your lawn, they really are one of the best alternatives to grass. Besides being a far cheap and more low-maintenance lawn option, they’re also far prettier too.

“Clover plants make good grass alternatives due to their hardy nature, requiring less mowing and water than typical grass species,” explains Jeremy Yamaguchi, lawn expert and owner of Lawn Love. “Clover lawns create thick, lush carpets of green foliage and they also produce white flowers and attract beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies.”

From a practical point of view, these types of lawns can also provide natural nitrogen fixation for your soil, helping other plants in your garden to grow healthily. “To plant clover, sow seeds in spring or fall directly into the soil,” adds Tony. “Clover thrives with regular watering until it’s well-established, after which it can tolerate periods of drought.”

“Clover is also low-maintenance and requires less frequent mowing as it grows low and spreads horizontally,” says Matthew Koch, plant expert and Director of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Seed at Scotts. “Additionally, clover has the ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere which enriches the soil and promotes healthier plant growth.”

If you’re looking to add clover to your lawn, Scotts Turf Builder Clover Lawn is a low-maintenance grass alternative that doesn’t require a lot of water and can withstand short-term drought conditions.

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In 2017, Maria Morais started to experience severe abdominal pain before eventually undergoing gall bladder surgery. When the procedure didn’t bring her the relief she hoped for, follow-up tests showed her liver enzyme levels were abnormally high. Being a registered nurse, Maria knew something was wrong.

“I was also constantly tired. No matter how much I rested, it wasn’t enough,” she says.

Maria underwent many more medical tests until a fibroscan conducted in 2018 by a hepatologist revealed that she had a rare autoimmune liver disease called primary biliary cholangitis, or PBC. The National Institutes of Health estimates 130,000 people in the United States – primarily women – are living with this debilitating disease, which if left untreated can lead to chronic liver disease.

“Being diagnosed with PBC was a shocker,” Maria said. “It was ironic, because as a nurse I focus on public health and the prevention of chronic disease.”

At the time of her diagnosis, Maria’s disease was classified as stage 1, but her liver damage progressed rapidly. Not only did she struggle with the uncontrollable itching that PBC can cause, but her immune system was attacking the lining of her bile ducts, causing inflammation and scarring. And as the damage to her liver became more severe, fluids accumulated in her abdomen and had to be drained at a medical facility each week.

“Often liver diseases can be invisible, but I was basically gaining and losing 20 pounds in fluid each week for months. It was like being pregnant over and over again,” recalls Maria.

Between this and the incessant itching, she found herself isolating more and more because people would also wonder if what she had was contagious. Her symptoms slowly became too difficult to manage.

“I was beginning to wonder ‘Is this going to be my life?’” she recalls. “My son was 12 years old, and he would see me on the couch every night despondent and not engaging.”

In Need of a Liver Transplant

By the end of 2020 Maria was referred for a liver transplant, and the next summer she received a portion of a liver from a friend who had lost her husband to colon cancer. The friend donated 60% of her liver to Maria; within three months her liver had regenerated to its normal size.

“She gave me life,” Maria says. She named the donated liver Lola and spent the next several months meditating and talking to it to encourage the new organ’s growth and health.

Maria’s journey from diagnosis to transplant and beyond transformed her into a patient advocate and peer counselor for other people with rare liver diseases. She talks about her “new 100%” and relishes the opportunity to work with the patient advocacy groups to share her story.

“There are big gaps in treatment options for people with PBC,” says Maria. “We need medicines and research to stop the itch, the fatigue, the brain fog and the fluid build-up.”

Until the gaps are filled and there’s a cure for PBC, Maria says, she’s going to continue to raise awareness of the disease and encourage people to “keep fighting the fight.”

Originally published by Gilead Sciences

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., September 6, 2024 /3BL/ – Extreme heat can increase electricity use and costs, and the past two summers have brought record-level temperatures and higher electricity usage by our customers. Entergy Arkansas is committed to helping our customers stay cool and save money this summer with a variety of bill management tools and customer assistance resources.

Entergy’s newly launched online Bill Toolkit connects customers to bill management, energy efficiency and financial assistance resources. This new resource helps our customers explore simple ways they can lower their electricity use and costs.

“In the face of extreme temperatures, we’re doing all we can to keep costs down for customers with some of the lowest electricity rates in the country,” said Ventrell Thompson, vice president of customer service for Entergy Arkansas. “We know our customers are seeing higher prices on their monthly purchases and expenses and we want to help where we can. Our customer bill toolkit can help them take control of their budget and save money this summer by monitoring their energy use, managing their bills and finding financial assistance.”

Besides the Bill Toolkit, another new offering by Entergy Arkansas is Single Stop, which builds pathways out of poverty by helping connect customers to existing resources available to them in a one-stop shop. It goes beyond just utility assistance. Its technology leverages existing financial resources with opportunities for education, counseling, training and support.

Track your energy use

Bill management tools like myAdvisor empower our customers to set electricity usage alerts and monitor how much energy they use each day. Tracking electricity use over time can help customers identify habits that contribute to higher use and budget their monthly expenses. With their myAdvisor dashboard, customers have access to usage and cost details, bill history, bill projections and analyzer tools and more.

Manage your bills your way

Entergy Arkansas offers several flexible payment options so customers can choose when, where and how they receive their bills.

Pick-A-Date allows customers to pay their bills when it works best for them.Level Billing allows customers to “level out” seasonal energy use fluctuations, making their bills more consistent every month.PaperFREE billing allows customers to get their bills emailed as soon as they post and instant access to two years of billing history.AutoPay allows customers to avoid late fees, writing checks and paying for postage by having bills automatically deduct from their bank accounts.

Entergy Arkansas encourages customers who may need additional payment options to reach out. To see if customers automatically qualify for deferred payment arrangements or payment extensions, they can visit our mobile app or myEntergy.

Find financial assistance

For customers needing assistance to pay their bills, Entergy Arkansas is here to help. Throughout this summer, Entergy Arkansas is implementing a series of measures through its “Beat the Heat” program focused on helping our low-income customers and communities stay cool and pay their bills. The program provides bill payment assistance, fans and energy efficiency kits and support from local community partners to help hundreds of residential customers across the state. 

In addition, Entergy Arkansas partners with local and state organizations to connect qualifying customers with financial assistance including:

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program provides financial assistance for energy bills and other energy-related expenses.The Power to Care program provides emergency bill payment assistance to older adults and customers with disabilities.Single Stop makes it easy for customers to quickly and confidentially check their eligibility for federal, state and local financial assistance.

For more ways to save energy and money, customers can visit BillToolkit.entergy.com.

About Entergy Arkansas

Entergy Arkansas, LLC provides electricity to approximately 730,000 customers in 63 counties. Entergy Arkansas is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For the latest news from Entergy Arkansas, visit the Newsroom and connect with @EntergyArk on social media.

In the same year it celebrates 60 years of tractor production, the New Holland plant in Basildon, England, has built its two millionth tractor, a feat managed by only a handful of such facilities across the world.

The two millionth unit is a 225hp T7.225, one of the most popular T7 models produced at the Basildon plant. It has received a striking celebration livery comprising ‘candy blue’ body panels, New Holland silver and black graphics featuring the Union Jack flag of the United Kingdom, and a ‘2,000,000 Basildon Tractors’ logo, plus a New Holland leaf bonnet top. The tractor also features black wheels rims with candy blue rim edges.

“This is a major milestone in the life of our Basildon plant, and a mark of both the dedication of our skilled employees here and the loyalty of our customers worldwide, to whom we are extremely grateful,” said Carlo Lambro, New Holland Brand President.

“From the tractors of 1964 to those of today, we have come a long way in capability, capacity and technology, allowing our customers to farm more efficiently. What is unchanged, though, is our commitment at Basildon and across the whole of our business to continue developing the technology our customers need to sustainably power their farms into the future.”

In 1984, the 500,000th tractor was made, from the Q-cabbed Series 10 range launched three years previously, which ultimately spanned 44hp 2610 to 116hp 8210 models, introducing developments such as the SynchroShift synchromesh transmission.

Five years later, coinciding with the 1989 launch of the Generation III evolution of the Series 10 range, Basildon produced its one millionth tractor. The year also marked 25 years of manufacturing at the plant, celebrated with the release of a number of special edition Silver Jubilee 7810 tractors.

In July 2024 the 2 millionth tractor rolls out of the production line, marking a memorable milestone for the plant in Basildon and for the New Holland, a brand of CNH, globally.

Today, the plant’s production continues to be exported across the world and has grown to include the latest models powered by alternative fuels – such as methane and compressed natural gas. These are products of a recent development at the facility, the Alternative Fuels Centre of Excellence, a specialized R&D department focused on alternative propulsions.

MEMPHIS, Tenn., September 5, 2024 /3BL/ – International Paper (IP) reaffirms its dedication to conserving forest ecosystems, nature and biodiversity with a $15.3 million investment to renew strategic alliances with key conservation partners, including the American Forest Foundation (AFF), National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF). These collaborations are pivotal to IP’s business strategy and Vision 2030 goal to conserve and restore 1 million acres of ecologically significant forestland.

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9283251-international-paper-conservation-partnerships-strengthens-commitment-to-nature/

“International Paper’s success depends on the sustainability of forests – and so does the future of our planet,” said Sophie Beckham, vice president and chief sustainability officer, International Paper. “Renewing these strategic partnerships underscores our commitment to positively impact nature while delivering low-carbon, sustainable, fiber-based products to our customers.”

Among these partnerships, IP’s collaboration with AFF has been key through the Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP). Developed by AFF and TNC, this program facilitates family forest owners’ access to climate finance from carbon markets. Supported by IP, the FFCP has expanded significantly in the Central Appalachian area and is set to launch activities in the Southeastern U.S., focusing on afforestation and improved forest management practices. IP’s ongoing support allows the FFCP to invest in critically important applied research to identify which forests provide the most additional carbon mitigation when they enroll in the program.

The Forestland Stewards Partnership (FSP) with NFWF, extended in 2022 with a $10 million commitment over five years. Launched in 2013, FSP has successfully established, enhanced or conserved more than 1.6 million acres of iconic southern forestlands. Focused on longleaf pine and bottomland hardwood restoration, this partnership aims to further wildlife conservation and sustainable forestry practices in the Southeastern U.S.

Since 2018, IP’s collaboration with TNC has led to advancements in sustainable forestry practices. This work reaches beyond IP’s traditional supply chain to identify natural climate solutions that can be replicated in forests around the world. With the first two phases complete, IP renewed its partnership to scale up efforts towards responsible forestry, carbon sequestration and biodiversity monitoring in the Central Appalachian region of the U.S. and in Mexico.

Additionally, as one of the first five companies to join WWF’s Forests Forward program, IP is taking action on responsible sourcing and aiding efforts in priority sourcing regions to support nature, climate and people. The latest collaboration involves helping local partners in the Mobile Basin of Mississippi and Alabama address a critical issue: the preservation of heirs’ property. The initiative provides legal services, assistance and resources to help historically disenfranchised Black landowners retain generational land and conserve working forests.

“These partnerships are essential for enhancing sustainability across our value chain,” noted Beckham. “By collaborating with AFF, NFWF, TNC and WWF, International Paper will scale our impact, learn from trusted partners, and drive positive change for people and the planet.”

For more information about all of IP’s longstanding partnerships, please visit our website or IP’s 2023 Sustainability Report.

About The Nature Conservancy (TNC) 
Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 77 countries and territories (41 by direct conservation impact and 36 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit nature.org.

About The American Forest Foundation (AFF) 
The American Forest Foundation is a national conservation organization that empowers family forest owners to make meaningful conservation impact. The organization’s flagship program, the Family Forest Carbon Program, helps landowners implement forest management practices to protect the health of their woodlands and help the planet. To learn more about the American Forest Foundation and the Family Forest Carbon Program, visit www.forestfoundation.org/carbon.

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) 
Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate, foundation and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 6,800 organizations and generated a total conservation impact of more than $10 billion. NFWF is an equal opportunity provider. Learn more at nfwf.org.

About World Wildlife Fund (WWF) 
WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working for 60 years in nearly 100 countries to help people and nature thrive. With the support of 1.3 million members in the United States and more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment, and combat the climate crisis. Visit worldwildlife.org to learn more; follow @WWFNews on Twitter to keep up with the latest conservation news; and sign up for our newsletter and news alerts here.

About International Paper
International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a global producer of sustainable packaging, pulp and other fiber-based products, and one of the world’s largest recyclers. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., we employ approximately 39,000 colleagues globally who are committed to creating what’s next. We serve customers worldwide, with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe. Net sales for 2023 were $18.9 billion. Additional information can be found by visiting internationalpaper.com/.

Originally posted by Albertsons Boise Open.

In front of 800 tournament sponsors, local media partners and special guests at the Hershey Company Pro-Am Dinner, Albertsons and Chevron executives announced over $3 million was raised for charity from this year’s Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron. The donation brings the 35-year charity total to $39 million, a record on the Korn Ferry Tour.

See original article at Albertsons Boise Open and read more about Albertsons Companies and our Recipe for Change on our website.

Verizon

This spring at Vista Academy in the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, middle school students tackled a complicated problem: Thinking like scientists and engineers, they were asked to solve the issue of underwater pollution in the Pacific Ocean.

Working together first in pairs and then as a group, students programmed robots to forage for plastics and other garbage — a step towards solving a complex, here-and-now issue. Projects like these, which combine solutions-oriented thinking with emerging technology, are the types of challenges that Vista Academy students tackle in the Verizon Innovative Learning Lab program. The Lab program offers a tech-infused curriculum in custom-designed, state-of-the-art facilities at schools nationwide. The curriculum is designed to foster tech skills alongside real-world applications of the tech.

“The Verizon Innovative Learning Lab program exposes students to emerging technologies through project-based curriculum, created by our team at Arizona State University, to encourage students to explore real-world problem solving,” explains Gabriela Chacon, assistant director of the youth entrepreneurship team at Arizona State University’s J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute. “In the program, students create solutions for their communities by leveraging technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D modeling and printing, artificial intelligence and robotics, and social innovation and design thinking,” Chacon adds.

In the year since joining the program, Vista has already seen notable advancements in STEM education, inclusivity, and student performance. Students readily engage with the curriculum and tools they find in the Lab, educators say. “They’re happy to come to the lab, they’re happy to learn, they’re excited to see what they’re going to learn next,” says Brookie Chandler, a Verizon Innovative Learning Lab Mentor at Vista Academy.

Seeing how engaged the students have become in the program, teachers around the school often reach out to Chandler for guidance. “Other teachers want that same type of engagement. They come to me and say, ‘Hey, what can we do with the Lab?’” Chandler says.

Chandler collaborates with her colleagues to develop plans based on their teaching, which has inspired her further. “Leading this Lab and collaborating with teachers makes me want more. I want more for other schools in New York City. I want all schools to have the technology and have an innovative learning lab,” Chandler says.

After all, Chandler is also seeing her students envision their futures differently after working in the Lab. “They’re engaging in exploring careers in STEM,” she says. “They’re thriving, they’re learning, they’re engaging in technology — they’re preparing themselves for the future.”

Verizon Innovative Learning is a key part of Citizen Verizon, the company’s responsible business plan to help move the world forward for all. As part of the plan, Verizon has an ambitious goal of providing 10 million youth with digital skills training by 2030. Visit CitizenVerizon.com to learn more about the company’s responsible business efforts. Educators can access free lessons, professional development, and immersive learning experiences to help bring new ways of learning into the classroom by visiting Verizon Innovative Learning HQ.

“In the program, students create solutions for their communities by leveraging technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D modeling and printing, artificial intelligence and robotics, and social innovation and design thinking.”

Gabriela Chacon, assistant director of the youth entrepreneurship team at Arizona State University’s J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute

Today, Direct Relief, the nation’s leading provider of philanthropic funding for solar and battery storage projects at U.S. nonprofit community health centers and clinics, announced a new $10 million commitment to bring clean, resilient backup power to more facilities that serve low-income people in medically underserved areas across the United States.

The provision of health services requires a continuous supply of electricity to power lights and diagnostic equipment, allow access to electronic health records, and maintain temperature-sensitive medications. Direct Relief’s expanded commitment seeks to address the increasingly frequent problem of health service interruptions during power outages caused by extreme weather, such as wildfires, heat waves, hurricanes, and flood-causing storms.

Direct Relief’s expanded effort builds on its ongoing support and emergency response efforts in all 50 states and territories of the U.S. to the network of nonprofit clinics and health centers that serve as the national healthcare safety net, providing care to over 38 million patients who, compared to the general U.S. population, have lower incomes, less wealth, include more people of all racial and ethnic minority populations, and have less access to needed primary healthcare services.

Extreme weather events and emergency situations create enhanced health risks for people who rely on nonprofit health facilities. Such events create new health risks and the need for expanded health services, even as the availability of services is likely to be severely reduced or lost due to power outages.

Direct Relief’s Power for Health Initiative provides grant funding to health clinics that serve vulnerable and underserved patient populations to cover the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of solar power and battery storage microgrids. The nonprofit clinics and health centers own the systems and derive 100% of the benefits – the resiliency benefits coming from batteries that provide power in the event of an outage, and the immediate and recurring financial benefits of reduced utility costs coming from generating their own electricity through the solar panels.

“Power outages are inconvenient for anyone, but they can be devastating for patients whose access to care is at their local nonprofit clinic or health center, when a prolonged blackout causes the facility to close or the loss of refrigerated medications, insulin, or vaccines – a scenario Direct Relief has unfortunately seen too many times,” said Thomas Tighe, President and CEO of Direct Relief.

“Direct Relief is expanding the commitment because of the clear, urgent need that remains unaddressed and because the completed projects have successfully shown the obvious, essential benefits of ensuring care is available for people who need it most when most needed. Moreover, as a philanthropic investment, the financial benefits of this approach have proven to be powerful – the savings that occur each year effectively amount to an annual operating grant to the clinic, with the amounts over time far exceeding what Direct Relief could provide.”

The latest infusion of support is focused on bringing reliable power to U.S. nonprofit clinics and community health centers. Community health centers provide care annually for 1 in 11 people in the U.S. and serve as the healthcare home for America’s most vulnerable populations, including 1 in 5 of America’s uninsured, 1 in 6 Medicaid beneficiaries, 1 in 3 individuals living in poverty, according to the National Association for Community Health Centers. Free and charitable clinics are also part of the nation’s health safety net, and those clinics recorded 5.7 million patient visits in 2023, according to the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. More than 8 out of 10 patients were uninsured, according to NAFC, and reported living at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

More Power for Health projects continue to come online at nonprofit clinics and health centers nationwide, with 20 completed projects in Puerto Rico, Louisiana, North Carolina, and California and dozens in the design and construction pipeline – including in Texas and Florida. The latest facilities where Direct Relief-funded resilient power systems have been completed include Harmony Health Medical Clinic (Marysville, CA), in an area prone to explosive wildfires, and Goshen Medical Center (Tabor City, NC), at high risk of hurricanes.

Case Study

“Dow offers extensive material options and strong R&D capabilities, meaning we get the opportunity to try out several solutions to make our racket sports gear even better. This sort of testing flexibility allows our teams to streamline innovation — it helped us successfully cross-develop player-preferred pickleballs and tennis balls.”

– Chloe Lee, Advanced Materials Engineer at Wilson Sporting Goods

Pickleball is often described as a hybrid of tennis, badminton and ping pong, and is celebrated for its enjoyable gameplay, ease of learning and accessibility. Despite being invented in the 1960s, it’s now the fastest-growing sport in the United States — according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), participation has grown by more than 158.6% since 2021. This unprecedented growth was onset by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the racket sport offered a safe yet social exercise, requiring only a court, paddle and ball.

Wilson Sporting Goods was ahead of the craze and began to ideate its first pickleball design in 2018. Around that same time, they had enlisted Dow’s materials science expertise and R&D capabilities to help create a more sustainable tennis ball. Despite player satisfaction stalling innovation for over 50 years, Wilson saw an opportunity: traditional non-recyclable, pressurized cans helped tennis balls maintain bounce but contributed to environmental waste. Our teams worked hand-in-hand to ultimately develop the Triniti tennis ball, integrated with Dow plastomer technologies to help offer a lively bounce, consistent performance and durability without pressurized packaging.

Building on our successful tennis ball collaboration — and shared commitment to advancing performance and sustainability in sporting goods — our teams shifted gears to tackle optimizing the ball for the fastest-growing sport.

THE CHALLENGE

Producing Pickleballs that Push the Limits of Playability

By the time the Triniti ball launched, Wilson had also released its first pickleball design: the TRU 32. It was a rough-to-the-touch injection-molded pickleball, comprising of an innovative proprietary formula. With an equally distributed 32-hole pattern, it offered improved flight stability when compared to traditional 40-hole options. Now that Wilson had this initial design nailed down, they were ready to elevate it for professional-grade performance, and knew Dow could help.

Our teams embarked on a mission to optimize the TRU 32, exploring the benefits of various Dow materials to develop a design and composition that would offer superior consistency, durability and speed. Leveraging our learnings from the Triniti ball, we collaborated on a multitude of prototypes until we landed on a next-level pickleball.

THE SOLUTION

Serving Up Player-Preferred Pickleballs

Integrated with Dow elastomer technologies, the TRU 32 Pro delivers the same dependable consistency as TRU 32 but with enhanced speed and liveliness, making it ideal for advanced competitive gameplay. Its patented hole pattern creates consistent flight and bounce characteristics that complement the fast, responsive nature of its composition. Manufactured in the USA with imported components, the ball is USA Pickleball approved for outdoor competitive play and introduced new levels of pickleball performance. Building on this design, our teams also recently collaborated on a version specifically for indoor play — the TRU 32 Indoor ball.

Setting New Standards in Racket Sport Technology

The collaborations between Dow and Wilson exemplify the power of partnership in advancing innovation and sustainability. By leveraging our combined expertise and passion for advancing sport, we’ve tackled key issues in racket sport balls such as durability and performance, creating breakthrough products like the Triniti tennis balls and TRU 32 Pro pickleball that enhance game play for everyday players and professionals alike. Our innovative designs mark significant progress in performance and sustainability, and we anticipate many more to come. Together, we’re not just meeting the standards in the world of sporting goods — we’re setting them.

Learn more about Dow technologies in tennis

Learn more about Dow’s collaborations in sports