Gov. Phil Murphy shined a love light on the parent company of JCP&L on Wednesday, tweeting that First Energy Corporation was “making a significant contribution” to the fight against hunger during the coronavirus outbreak, one day after it announced a $500,000 donation to food banks in JCP&L’s service area.
On Tuesday, First Energy announced that its philanthropic arm, the First Energy Foundation, would contribute $2 million to local food banks in the coverage areas of utility subsidiaries, including the $500,000 gift to those in northern and central New Jersey served by PSE&G. First Engergy also said it would increase it regular giving to the United Way, which supports a broad network of social service organizations.
JCP&L — Jersey Central Power & Light — serves all of Sussex, Warren, Hunderdon and Monmouth counties, and parts of Passaic, Morris, Somerset, Middlesex, Mercer and Burlington.
In his tweet of recognition on Wednesday, Murphy tried to use FirstEnergy’s announcement to leverage still more philanthropic giving by other companies or individuals as the coronavirus and measures to contain it have put people out of work, out of reach, and out of food.
Murphy called First Energy’s gift, “a great reminder that there are many families who need help right now to put food on their tables.”
