Evergy pledges $2.2 million to local COVID-19 relief

Agencies delivering essential services within or near Evergy’s operating area in Kansas and Missouri are eligible for funding

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The $2.2 million in COVID-19 focused funding is in addition to Evergy’s $6 million annual giving to agencies and organizations throughout the communities it serves. Image: Evergy.com

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Evergy is committing $2.2 million to help agencies, communities and customers respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing its 2020 planned community giving to more than $8 million.

We know our communities and customers are dealing with nearly unprecedented uncertainties due to this virus,” said Terry Bassham, Evergy President and CEO. “We are making the largest focused charitable commitment in our history. We’ve been serving these communities nearly 150 years, and we want to do our part to help them move forward.”

Emergency grants help non-profit agencies leading response

Evergy Emergency Grants help non-profit agencies on the front lines that have remained open and are delivering essential services to its communities. Eligible agencies align with Evergy’s focus areas of community vitality and environmental leadership, have continued to provide most if not all of their services and have had their costs increase and revenues reduced due to the pandemic. Evergy has pledged $400,000 and already has awarded grants to multiple agencies. Fing eligibility and application requirements here.

Hometown Economic Recovery Program helps small businesses, communities

Evergy’s Hometown Economic Recovery Program focuses on efforts in Evergy communities that will help build back our local economies. Areas of eligibility include small business needs, business attraction and retention, and workforce training and development.

Evergy will award grants totaling $800,000 in two phases. Applications for the initial phase begin June 1 with awards made in August. On June 1, nonprofit agencies can visit Evergy Hometown Recovery Grant for criteria and the application. The second phase opens in August with awards made in October.

As part of this effort, Evergy will also invest in two small business loan funds, Network Kansas and the Kansas City Regional COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund.

Additionally, Evergy will provide a new economic development tool SizeUp to help local communities develop and nurture new and expanding businesses.

About Evergy, Inc.

Evergy, Inc. serves approximately 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. We were formed in 2018 when long-term local energy providers KCP&L and Westar Energy merged. We generate nearly half the power we provide to homes and businesses with emission-free sources. We support our local communities where we live and work, and strive to meet the needs of customers through energy savings and innovative solutions.

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