Georgia Power announces $75 million investment in racial equity and social justice efforts

Georgia Power today announced the company and the Georgia Power Foundation are committing to invest $15 million annually from 2021-2025, $75 million over the five-year period, to help advance racial equity and social justice efforts in Georgia. The social justice funding supports initiatives focused on education equity, criminal justice and economic empowerment. The company’s investment is a part of the commitment by Southern Company, Georgia Power’s parent company, and its charitable foundations to invest a combined $200 million over five years in community investments to support these efforts.

“At Georgia Power, we’re standing with our communities as, together, we tackle systemic equity issues across our state,” said Chris Womack, president of Georgia Power. “This financial investment and our commitment to mentoring, while just a part of our overall equity efforts, are so incredibly critical because they’re one way we can make a real impact in distressed and disadvantaged communities. Through them we can support and partner with organizations that assist with education equity, criminal justice and economic empowerment, as well as build personal relationships with kids now that can help shape Georgia’s future leaders.”

Georgia Power’s $75 million commitment will be distributed through strategic, focused investments in:

• Education equality – direct community investments, scholarships for underrepresented groups and investment in Historically Black Colleges and Universities. We also will commit to providing 250 employee mentors within the communities we serve.
• Criminal justice organizations – working to lower criminalization rates, support transition and re-entry into society, create prearrest diversion options and reduce racial profiling.
• Economic empowerment – Through grants and impact investments, invest in communities to build social and economic opportunity for Black-owned businesses and individuals and to create a just transition as we seek a net-zero carbon future.

Mentoring Initiative
The company will not only be investing financially, but also investing resources and employee volunteerism across the areas of education equity, criminal justice reform and economic empowerment to help make an impact on social justice issues across the state. Georgia Power is working to build a team of 250 employees statewide that are engaged in mentoring annually. This effort is a part of Southern Company’s larger commitment of 5,000 mentors. The company believes that by sustaining a relationship between a youth and an adult through continued involvement, support and guidance, academics, career and life journey, the young adults are more likely to overcome more of life’s hardships. A mentor can have a real impact on a youth’s education, helping them stay out of jail and more. 

To learn more about Georgia Power's commitment to communities across the state, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com/Community. To keep up with Georgia Power's active volunteer and giving efforts every day, follow the company on Twitter @GeorgiaPower and #GaPowerfulService and #WeHelpBecauseItsHome