2022 Moving-to-Equity Report - Flipbook - Page 18
Nicor Gas partners with Habitat for
Humanity to build homes in Chicagoland
Nicor Gas, the largest natural gas provider in
Illinois, and Southern Company announced in
the fall of 2022 a new partnership with two
Habitat for Humanity affiliates to develop
Smart Neighborhood™ communities dedicated
to providing affordable, net zero greenhouse gas
emissions housing options in the Chicagoland area.
The two planned communities, with groundbreakings
scheduled for 2023 and 2024, will have a total of 30
single-family homes equipped with a combination
of renewable, electric and natural gas technologies.
“At Habitat for Humanity, we are excited to
work alongside Nicor Gas to create a pathway
to strength, stability and independence through
homeownership,” said Jeffrey Barrett, executive
director and CEO of Fox Valley Habitat for
Humanity. “This collaboration represents a unique
opportunity to advance the adoption of net zero
energy solutions, while making them available to
individuals who ordinarily could not afford them.”
At-Promise Initiative reaches out
to at-risk youth
Georgia Power is a supporter of the Atlanta
Police Department Foundation and its At-Promise
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| 2022 Moving to Equity Report
Initiative, which aims to keep young people out
of the criminal justice system.
Youth referred to the program are given an
individualized plan of services from more than
30 social service agencies. This includes therapy,
mentoring and GED classes, workforce skills
development and more. More than 1,800 young
people have participated in the program, which
has seen a recidivism rate of 4% compared to
a national average of 70% and a high school
graduation rate of 92%.
Bronze Valley invests in Alabama startups
and entrepreneurs
The Bronze Valley Accelerator, supported by Alabama
Power and other partners, continues to invest in
startups, giving entrepreneurs access to capital
and coaching and a national network of mentors,
customers, corporate partners and investors.
The startups, recruited from Alabama and
throughout the Southeast, represent a wide variety
of industries. The program focuses on supporting
female entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of
color and is designed to help startups gain early
customer traction and establish metrics that can
make them competitive applicants for full-time,
equity-based accelerators or for seed investment.
