BROOKLYN / LONG ISLAND, NY – National Grid volunteers kick off the annual Season of Giving with events, starting in Queens in collaboration with Betty’s Catering by preparing boxes of food for local families for Thanksgiving holiday and on Long Island supporting the John Theissen Children’s Foundation 32^nd Annual Long Island Toy Drive.

Seeking out and identifying partnerships with the intent to make a significant difference and ensure a targeted positive impact for residents serve as a testament to National Grid’s commitment to meaningful corporate and social responsibility and community engagement. On November 15, National Grid volunteers partnered with Betty’s Catering, a local Latina-owned business in Elmhurst, Queens, to help prepare boxes of food for Thanksgiving meals for local families. The owner, Betty, has been preparing and delivering boxes of food to families for the past 23 years.

National Grid Meter Service Technician, Jennifer Teasley, shared her personal motivation to participate in the volunteer event, “I feel proud when I get the chance to volunteer in the community that I live and work. I drive my kids by a park where we previously painted benches and I point out the bench that I painted. I grew up around the corner from here. I used to ride my bike up and down the street in this neighborhood.”

Through, Project C, National Grid’s continued community commitment initiative, employees, many who are lifelong New York residents, have the unique opportunity to give back to the community that remains their home and place of employment.

Other NYC Season of Giving National Grid volunteer events include:

• Nov 16 – York College – volunteers assisted in handing out meals and fresh produce to more than 120 college students for the holiday season.
• Nov 16 – Brooklyn Navy Yard – In partnership with Fresh Pantries, volunteers helped to package Thanksgiving pantry food orders for families across the borough.
• Nov 17 – Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso’s food distribution – National Grid was a sponsor and volunteers helped sort and package 50k pounds of non-perishables and fresh produce for houses of worship and community-based organization to distribution to Brooklynites.
• Nov 20 and 21 – Feeding NYC – volunteers will help prepare and deliver 9,000 boxes of food for Thanksgiving meals for families across NYC.
• Dec 9 – Bike NYC – volunteers will help to assemble 20 bikes for children and then deliver 100 bikes and additional toys to children at Cooper Community Center.
• Dec 13 – NEBHDCo Toy Drive – Volunteers will help wrap gifts, clean, and decorate the community space, hang toy drive flyers and prepare snack bags for neighborhood children.
• Dec 15 – St. John’s Episcopal Christmas Toy Drive – Volunteers will participate alongside SJEH to hand out toys and cookies to families in Far Rockaway.
• Dec 15 – A Shared Dream Foundation – Volunteers will hand out toys to local children during the 20^th Annual Toys for Tots Giveaway.

In addition to community food collection and delivery, during November and December volunteers will collect donated coats in collaboration with The Partnership for New York City’s WE❤NYC campaign to support for the 35th annual coat drive of New York Cares, a nonprofit volunteer organization that started in the Partnership offices in 1987. The coat drive aims to provide a new or gently used winter coat to every New Yorker in need. 

On Long Island

National Grid volunteers kicked off the Season of Giving on November 16 donating the first round of toys for the John Theissen Children’s Foundation 32^nd Annual Long Island Toy Drive at the New York Islanders’ Northwell Health Center in Eisenhower Park. The John Theissen Foundation has placed over 300 donation boxes throughout Long Island where the community can donate toys and help brighten the lives of thousands of children this holiday season.

National Grid volunteers kicked off the Season of Giving providing the first round of toys for the John Theissen Children’s Foundation 32^nd Annual Long Island Toy Drive at the New York Islanders’ Northwell Health Center in Eisenhower Park.

Other Long Island Season of Giving National Grid volunteer events include:

• Nov 18 – New Life Church in Farmingdale - Volunteers handed out canned goods and the company’s Consumer Advocates were available to share information about programs and services to assist customers.
• Nov 20 – North Fork Spanish Apostolate Church in Riverhead Turkey Giveaway – for the 5^th year, volunteers will be on hand to help unload, pre-pack and distribute Thanksgiving meals to local families and the company’s Consumer Advocates will be available to share information about programs and services to assist customers and hand out window coverings to help save energy.
• Nov 21 – General Needs – National Grid and National Grid Ventures volunteers will sort clothing and household items to be delivered and distributed at the Nassau County Veterans Winter Stand Down Event for Veterans at the Freeport Armory.

In addition, volunteers will make and deliver holiday cards to seniors and Veterans throughout the holiday season and support Long Island Cares Military Appreciation Tuesday which provides six satellite locations to provide food and personal care items for Veterans.

As part of the company’s Responsible Business Charter, National Grid has committed to amassing 500,000 volunteer hours by 2030.

About National Grid

National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy future — transforming our networks with more reliable and resilient energy solutions to meet state climate goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.