UI and SCG Donate $50,000 to Bridgeport Sanctuary House for Survivors of Abuse & Their Families

Center for Family Justice is slated to complete the Empower House Project in Fall of 2022

Orange, CT— April 27, 2022 – Today, representatives from the United Illuminating Company (UI) and Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG) – both subsidiaries of AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) – joined Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim and City Council President Aidee Nieves to present a check of $50,000 from the companies to the Center for Family Justice, Inc. (CFJ) for their Empower House Project – a safe haven for victims of abuse, their children and their pets.  

“UI and SCG are steadfast partners with the Center for Family Justice,” said Frank Reynolds, President & CEO of UI, SCG and CNG. “We understand the deeply important work that the Center does in this community and are happy to present these funds to assist CFJ with the goal of completing this project by the end of the year. As partners, we support CFJ’s mission to break the cycle of abuse and violence – domestic, sexual and child – by providing services that create hope, restore lives, and drive social change through education and community collaboration.” 

CFJ offers a lifeline of comprehensive support for all victims of domestic violence, with roots in the greater Bridgeport community that run deep, dating back to 1895.  In 2014, CFJ officially became Connecticut’s first Family Justice Center and serves six towns: Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford and Trumbull.  

Bridgeport Mayor Ganim added, “The City is thankful for the donation UI and SCG are making to the Center for Family Justice located here in Bridgeport. Today’s donation is an important investment in our community as well as recognizing the important work they do helping victims of abuse. These funds will be used towards the construction of the Empower House and the support it will provide to victims of abuse as they work towards restoring and rebuilding their lives.”

Over the past year, CFJ has experienced a significant increase in the number of victims seeking help. In 2021, CFJ served 4,183 clients, 1,431 domestic violence advocacy clients, 207 multi-disciplinary team program clients and 438 sexual violence clients. CFJ has provided 770 hours of legal services (valued at $283,906), 4,828 hours of adult advocacy services (valued at $2,235,657), and 715 hours of child counseling services valued at $107,246.

“UI and SCG have been corporate benefactors for years here at the Center for Family Justice, Inc. CFJ has secured a new safe house which will be renovated to ensure the safety of our clients.  Empower House is the project and with this $50,000 donation, we will be able to replace the windows and make sure the home is energy efficient.  I am so grateful to the companies for their strong and continuing community relationship with The Center for Family Justice, Inc.,” said Debra Greenwood, CFJ President & CEO.

The Empower House Project; slated for completion in late fall 2022, seeks to create a modern, comforting home for victims of abuse and their children, as well as their pets. Since the Center began fundraising for this project in July 2021 $2.8M of the $3.5M budgeted for this project has been raised. Renovation work is planned for May 2022, with work continuing through the summer and fall, with a grand opening scheduled for December 2022.

The $50,000 donation will be used for energy-efficient window replacement and weatherization of the Empower House.  CFJ will also engage in UI and SCG’s energy-efficiency program to make the appropriate modifications to the house to maximize energy efficiency.  

The Empower House will include eight bedrooms, plentiful bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, library and computer room, a large family room, indoor and outdoor play areas, and a safe kennel for pets. The new Empower House will serve as a national model for how every safe house should be built. Empower House is more than just a physical shelter for families; it offers a wide array of services including free legal support, social counseling, and job-seeking assistance. 

For additional information, please visit CFJ’s dedicated website.

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About UI: The United Illuminating Company (UI) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Established in 1899, UI operates approximately 3,600 miles of electric distribution lines and 138 miles of transmission lines. It serves approximately 341,000 customers in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas of Connecticut. UI received the Edison Electric Institute’s Emergency Recovery Award in 2019 and 2021. For more information, visit uinet.com.  

About SCG: The Southern Connecticut Gas Company (SCG) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Established in 1847, SCG operates approximately 2,500 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines, serving approximately 206,000 customers in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas of Connecticut. For more information, visit soconngas.com. 

About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $40 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 7,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021 and 2022 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2022, AVANGRID ranked second within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2022 for the fourth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit avangrid.com.   

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