UGI Energy Services LLC, the midstream and energy marketing subsidiary of UGI Corporation, announced their contribution of $200,000 to
support 70 private and parochial schools and scholarship organizations in Pennsylvania.
The contributions were provided to the schools and scholarship organizations through Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development’s Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) program, which is part of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program. UGI Energy Services has provided over $2 million in scholarships through the OSTC program since 2014. These contributions provide tuition assistance for students who are living in low-achieving school districts the opportunity to attend local, private or parochial schools.
“We are pleased to support students and educational programs across Pennsylvania,” said Joe Hartz. “The OSTC program has provided funding to give students an opportunity for quality learning in a safe environment. At UGI, we believe that education is of the utmost importance in the communities where we work and live.”
UGI Energy Services had the opportunity to visit a few of the OSTC recipients in the Lehigh Valley, including Berks County Community Foundation, The Hillside School, Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and Easter Pennsylvania Scholarship Foundation – Diocese of Allentown.
“We appreciate the support from corporate partners like UGI Energy Services,” said Jason Brudereck, Director of Communication at Berks County Community Foundation. “Their contribution will provide life-changing awards to children in our community, setting them on the paths for social and economic success.”
Berks County Community Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that serves as a civic leader for our region by developing, managing and distributing charitable funds aimed at improving the quality of life in Berks County. More information is available at www.bccf.org.
“We would like to thank UGI Energy Services for their support,” said Holly Nonnemacher, director of development at The Hillside School. “This scholarship donation will help transform the lives of The Hillside School students and their families — providing access to our challenging academic curriculum taught in a smaller, connected learning environment.”
The Hillside School is an independent K-8 school for students with language-based learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia, as well as associated disorders that affect learning, i.e. auditory, visual, and sensory processing disorders, working memory deficits, ADHD, executive functioning deficits, and nonverbal learning disabilities. A Hillside education is specifically designed to meet the needs of students who struggled to find success in traditional settings, and its mission is to maximize the potential of the child with learning disabilities through excellence in education.
“We would like to thank UGI Energy Services for their scholarship donation,” said Jeri Zimmerman, executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley. “Through the OSTC program and charitable donations from corporate partners like UGI Energy Services, we are able make a positive impact in the education of our youth in our communities.”
Together with its donors, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley works to make its community and the world a better place. Acting on its core values of compassion, charity, generosity and responsibility, the Federation cares for people in need and inspires Jewish life and learning. As part of the Jewish Federation movement, the leading Jewish philanthropy in North America, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is able to advocate nationally and quickly mobilize resources in times of crisis.
“This contribution will assist in providing students greater access to exceptional learning experiences offered at private schools,” said John Fierro, Manager of Scholarships at Eastern Pennsylvania Scholarship Foundation – Diocese of Allentown. “We are grateful for the support of the DCED and corporate partnerships with companies like UGI Energy Services.”
The Eastern Pennsylvania Scholarship Foundation (EPSF), founded in 2001, provides financial assistance to families in the Diocese of Allentown to help with education costs. The foundation participates in the PA Tax Credit programs designed to give donors a 90% tax credit for their contributions. EPSF is proud to have offered over 5.5 million dollars of financial aid assistance to families throughout the Diocese of Allentown this past school year.
The Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program is available to Pennsylvania businesses paying certain specific state taxes and deemed eligible for participation by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. This was UGI Energy Service’s sixth year of participation in the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program.
