Duke Energy Foundation Prepares Florida Residents, Agencies for Storm Season With $163,000 in Emergency Preparedness and Resiliency Grants

• Funding will help equip Floridians and first responders with valuable information and supplies ahead of storms and emergency events

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 17, 2025 /3BL/ - As storm season approaches, Duke Energy has activated efforts to help Florida customers and communities prepare for hurricanes and other emergencies.

Duke Energy Foundation, funded by Duke Energy shareholders, recently awarded $163,000 in emergency preparedness and resiliency grants to 12 organizations and agencies in Florida. The grants will help place AEDs in high-traffic areas, provide CPR training to residents, fund community education and outreach materials, fund storm kits for seniors, upgrade weather monitoring technology, procure additional materials for emergency sheltering, among other initiatives led by local emergency management organizations.

“Although we are now entering the official start of storm season, community resilience and preparedness is a year-round effort,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “We are grateful for the ongoing collaboration and commitment of our first responders, emergency management officials and community agencies to prepare, plan and engage our communities. Being prepared is our best defense.”

Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

• American Heart Association – $50,000
   
• Wakulla County Sheriff's Office – $5,000
   
• Franklin County Board of County Commissioners – $8,000
   
• Lake County Board of County Commissioners – $5,000
   
• City of Davenport, FL – $5,000
   
• Orange County Office of Emergency Management – $20,000
   
• Seminole County Board of County Commissioners – $10,000
   
• Town of Inglis – $10,000
   
• Hernando County Emergency Management – $10,000
   
• Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Family Services Inc. – $12,500
   
• Suncoast Young People Theatre Inc. – $17,500
   
• Winter Garden Heritage Foundation – $10,000

Community resilience and preparedness are long-standing priorities of Duke Energy Foundation, which has awarded more than $1.8 million to support Florida’s disaster preparedness since 2019.

Duke Energy reminds customers that personal preparedness is key to a more resilient home or business. For more tips on how to prepare for storm season, please visit duke-energy.com/StormTips and download the Red Cross Emergency app. Duke Energy Foundation will donate $1 to the Red Cross for every app download through June 30, up to $20,000.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.

Duke Energy Foundation

Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company’s electric utilities serve 8.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Media contact: Laitin Sterling
Media line: 800.559.3853

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