Illinois American Water Announces Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Grant Recipients

Over $22,000 awarded to 12 Illinois Organizations

BELLEVILLE, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Over $22,000 will be shared by 12 organizations through Illinois American Water’s Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Grant Program. The program provides financial assistance to nonprofit organizations seeking to develop and implement programs, training and/or community-related projects that aim to promote and foster inclusion, diversity and equity in their community.

Rebecca Losli, Illinois American Water President, is excited “to be a part of the progress occurring in the communities we serve.” She said, “At Illinois American Water we celebrate and value the different perspectives and backgrounds each of us offer. Diversity makes our company and our communities stronger. This is why we created this program focused on partnerships for inclusion, diversity and equity. We’re excited to collaborate with these impressive organizations.”

Twelve organizations across Illinois American Water’s footprint will receive funding. Illinois American Water’s 2022 Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Grant recipients and projects are described below.
Alton Athletic Association will receive a $2,500 grant to support the Beautification Diversity Program which will use local banners to celebrate local athletes.

Alton YWCA will receive a $2,500 grant for their self-care program focused on supporting Black, Indigenous and Persons of Color.

Black History Month Awareness Club located in Bolingbrook will receive a $2,500 grant to secure scholarships for high school seniors.

Eastern Illinois Food Bank in Champaign County will receive a $1,000 grant for their “just-in-time” produce delivery program to distribute produce to rural and under-served areas.

Lincoln Park District will receive a $1,500 grant to support access for visitors with disabilities to local parks.

Loving Bottoms Diaper Bank in Peoria will receive a $1,000 grant to provide diapers to families in need.

NAACP Champaign County will receive a $2,000 grant to support educational scholarships for diverse students.

Peoria Public School Foundation will receive a $1,500 grant to support the snack pack supplemental food program.

Stephens Family YMCA in Champaign will receive a $2,000 grant for the Y on the Fly program which will support summer and afterschool programming.

The Bridges Program at Belleville West will receive a $2,500 grant to create a pop-up farmstand to deliver nutrition and share information about agriculture while engaging students and increasing skills.

The Eagles Nest of St. Clair County in East St. Louis will receive a $2,500 grant to support transitional housing for homeless veterans and training for staff members.

Titanium Force Cheer in the Peoria area will receive a $1,000 grant to support the Cheerabilities program.

For more information about Illinois American Water and the Inclusion and Diversity grant program, please visit www.illinoisamwater.com.

About Illinois American Water – Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,400 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and regulated-like drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people in 24 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and diversityataw.com. Follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

ILLINOIS AMERICAN WATER WAS RANKED HIGHEST IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WITH LARGE WATER UTILITIES IN THE MIDWEST THREE YEARS IN A ROW!

For J.D. Power 2022 award information, visit jdpower.com/awards.

Contacts

Media: Karen Cotton, Sr. Manager External Communications, karen.cotton@amwater.com