Employees of Kentucky Utilities Company and Louisville Gas and Electric Company are sending support to area nonprofit agencies and organizations across the Bluegrass. With financial support from the LG&E and KU Foundation, the utilities’ voluntary employee-giving campaign — Power of One — raised more than $1.8 million in contributions.

“Our employees, union, and non-union have built a culture that embraces being engaged in the communities in which they live and work. Every year they roll up their sleeves to volunteer and open their wallets to help bring positive changes to neighbors and strangers alike,” said Chris Whelan, LG&E and KU vice president of Corporate Communications, and co-chair of the 2016 Power of One campaign, in a press release from KU. 

Since 2005, the employee-driven campaign has raised nearly $20 million through payroll deductions, event fundraisers, direct-to-charity donations and support from the LG&E and KU Foundation.

This year’s contributions will be allocated to United Way of the Bluegrass and 25 additional nonprofit organizations to support programs and services in 2017, according to a press release from KU.

United Way of the Bluegrass and its affiliates serve Anderson, Bourbon, Clark, Fayette, Jessamine, Madison, Montgomery, Scott and Woodford counties.

The funding will not be allocated to programs until the next year’s funding cycle, Vice President of Marketing for United Way of the Bluegrass Katie Williams said. A volunteer committee will review funding applications and then make decisions where the funding will go. Their decision is then approved by a regional board of directors.

“A lot of thought goes into how the funding is allocated,” Williams said. “Many people put in countless hours to decide where the funding dollars will have the most impact.”

During the 2016-2017 funding cycle $123,470 was allocated by United Way of the Bluegrass to 42 programs that serve the people of Jessamine County, Williams said.