St. Louis, April 3, 2013 – While social media sites that match people with similar interests and lifestyles abound, Ameren Corporation is connecting people the old fashioned way. The company has invited 50 nonprofit organizations to share their missions with employees today at its headquarters and two of its Illinois offices to kick off volunteer month.
“We’re inviting these agencies to Ameren's offices because we believe that it takes more than energy to power the quality of life in our communities; it takes dedicated volunteers who are eager to make a difference,” said David Hunt, vice president of Corporate Communications for Ameren. “Our employees already volunteer hundreds of thousands of hours each year, but they are always looking for more ways to get involved. We're hoping they find the perfect match between these agencies and the causes for which they have the most passion at this event.”
For example, employees who are committed to children’s issues can meet with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) representing St. Clair, Monroe and Madison counties at the Ameren Illinois office in Belleville. The Illinois Center for Autism will be there as well.
“CASA is a child advocacy organization for abused and neglected children,” said Mechiko White, executive director of CASA. “I am really looking forward to meeting with Ameren employees who are looking for ways to help us serve these often-forgotten children.”
In St. Louis, the agencies span the spectrum of life from Memory Care Home Solutions to Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis. Variety gives children with disabilities the gifts of mobility, independence and self-confidence through special equipment and inclusive programming.
“For more than 10 years, Ameren has given young children the ability to say ‘I can,’ with the donation of 48 electric wheelchairs,” said Jan Albus, CEO of Variety. “Thank you for saying, ‘We can’ Ameren. Variety looks forward to making more connections with Ameren employees.”
Matt Thayer, a managing supervisor of Investor Relations for Ameren, serves as president of the board for Memory Care Home Solutions – one of the organizations that will meet with employees in St. Louis.
“I grew up in a family where my parents always found a way to balance work, community service and family,” Thayer said. “The value of stewardship is embedded in my work life at Ameren as well. Community service and helping others are responsibilities we take very personally.”
To further celebrate volunteer month, Ameren "Community Connection Days" will be April 13, 20, and 27 where employees across Missouri and Illinois will be rolling up their sleeves at a variety of volunteer service projects, from gardening clean-up to fixing baseball fields and painting rooms for a variety of social services organizations.
With assets of approximately $22 billion, Ameren serves 2.4 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area of Missouri and Illinois.
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Contact: Brian Bretsch, 314.554.4135