Consumers Energy Foundation awards more grants to help with COVID-19 relief

Consumers Energy's charitable arm Tuesday said it has awarded grants totaling more than $480,000 to Michigan nonprofits to help with COVID-19 relief efforts across the state.

“Consumers Energy is committed to being part of the solution as Michiganders work toward brighter days ahead this year,” Garrick Rochow, the energy company's president and CEO, said in a statement. “These are extraordinary times, and we are humbled to play a part in supporting organizations that are doing so much for our communities.”

Since March, the Consumers Energy Foundation has given $5.4 million in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company said.

In the latest round of grants, the foundation gave $200,000 to the Food Bank Council of Michigan to address food insecurity, including mobile food distributions across the state.

It also awarded grants to:

► Community Economic Development Association of Michigan – $100,000

► Greater Lansing Food Bank’s Building Hope Campaign – $50,000

► Start Garden (Grand Rapids) – $30,000

► Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter Team (MCREST) – $25,000

► Community Homeworks (Kalamazoo) – $15,000

► Nonprofit Network (Jackson) – $15,000

► Degage Ministries (Grand Rapids) – $10,000

► Devereaux Memorial Library (Grayling) – $10,000

► Trauma Recovery Associates (Kalamazoo) – $10,000

► Disability Services Resource Center (Bay City) – $5,000

► Motherly Intercession (Flint) – $5,000

► Urban Roots (Grand Rapids) – $5,000

► Open Door Outreach Center (Oakland County) – $2,500

“With the first vaccines now being distributed, we’re hopeful Michigan and the nation will defeat the pandemic this year. We also know we and others can’t let up in our effort to stay safe and support each other,” Rochow said. “These new dollars from our Foundation will help thousands of people in many communities, and we’ll continue to look for ways we can do more.”

Based in Jackson, Consumers Energy is the state's largest energy company, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million in all of Michigan's 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez