Issue link: http://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/292122
1 PowerofGood.com | 2014 Vol. 1 F the FOR ALMOST ALL OF ALABAMA POWER'S 108-year existence, the company has worked to better the state and commu- nities it serves. In 1913, our founder turned over control of Alabama Power to his associates and told them, "May it be developed for the service of Alabama." at meant providing electricity, which would make people's lives easier and better, and it meant recruiting industries and jobs to the state. But it also meant giving back to communities through charitable and volunteer efforts. A quarter century ago this year, Alabama Power ratcheted up its efforts to serve the state and the communities where we provide electricity. e board of directors in October 1989 approved the creation of a foundation that would dis- pense funds for good works, and a few days later the Alabama Power Foundation was born. Its mission was simply put: "to improve the lives and circumstances of Alabamians and to strengthen the com- munities in which they live." As the foundation celebrates its 25th year in 2014, I believe it has fulfilled and will continue to fulfill that vitally important mission. Since 1989, the Alabama Power Foundation has poured more than $140 million into improving Alabama through more than 20,000 grants and scholarships. e money has gone to hundreds of difference-making programs, from building homes for the disadvantaged to tutoring elementary school children in the Black Belt, from funding camps for sick children and their families at Children's Harbor at Lake Martin to helping Alabama col- leges and universities provide scholarships to deserving students. None of that money, by the way, came from ratepayers or ever caused rates to increase for any customer. Instead, Alabama Power stockholders 25 years ago invested a share of their profits to establish the foundation, which uses earnings from its assets to fund programs. Despite the foundation's successes, there is still so much more to do. Alabama was a poor state 25 years ago, and it remains a poor state today. Poverty was one of the foundation's first areas of focus. e foundation worked in those early years with the Alabama Poverty Project to compile data on the poor. In trying to get the biggest bang for the foundation's bucks, company officials concluded that it made sense to invest heavily in education. Years later, we continue to do so. We also continue to look for ways to have an even larger, more lasting impact on Alabama and its communities. Our launch last year of the Elevate movement is a good example. We want Elevate to connect nonprofit groups that are focused on bringing the kind of permanent, positive change to Alabama that we have been working toward for the past 25 years. We want to pool our knowledge with your knowledge, our resources with your resources, to share stories of what works as well as what needs to work so we can "improve the lives and circum- stances of Alabamians." I believe the Elevate movement is a great way for the Alabama Power Foundation to build on the successes of our first quarter century. I also believe the best is yet to come as we continue our work together to elevate Alabama. John O. Hudson III Vice President, Public Relations and Charitable Giving; President, Alabama Power Foundation; Executive Director, Alabama Business Charitable Trust Fund PHOTO BY BILL SNOW goodnews