AES Ohio
Who is AES Ohio?
The AES Ohio foundation focuses contributions to economic development & the arts, workforce development, poverty reduction and diversity & inclusion. The largest corporate foundation in the Miami Valley, they are committed to improving quality of life, enhancing sustainability of organizations, and engaging volunteerism in partner organizations. The organization was founded in 1985 and has given 43 million in grants to the Dayton, Ohio community.
AES Ohio Foundation gives Power Grants and Community Impact Grants. Power grants support new or innovative programs that have a long-term impact on our community. Many times, these programs funded attract businesses and create a higher quality of life for Daytonians. Some organizations to receive a Power grant are Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Boys & Girls Club, Clothes that Work, and Crayons to Classrooms. The foundation awards at least two Power Grants per year. One of the grants is at the $100,000.00 level and one is at the $50,000.00 level. Power grants are for a one-year period. Multiyear level support may be submitted but it must be renewed yearly. Community Impact Grants are more generalized and are given to over 5o organizations. Between AES Ohio and the AES Ohio Foundation AES donates more than 2.7 million dollars annually to nonprofits and programs in the Dayton, Ohio community.
What does AES Ohio do?
AES is a Fortune 500 global power company. They provide affordable and sustainable energy. AES Ohio, founded in 1911, is the principal subsidiary of DPL Inc. a regional energy provider and an AES company. AES Ohio’s purpose is to accelerate the future of energy together. They believe how they work is just as important as the work itself.
How does AES Ohio make a difference in the Miami Valley?
Along with the over 50 organizations to receive the Community Impact Grant, Big Brothers Big Sisters received the grant for funding community and school-based mentoring programs.
Our Community and School-Based mentoring programs, combined with our Trauma-Informed Care training for volunteer mentors and mentee’s families, will enhance the physical and mental health of local youth and help them achieve academic success, personal development, and lifelong wellness.
Our mentoring services provides children and youth with one-to-one mentoring relationships with a caring adult. We require a minimum one-year commitment for program participants, and our Match Support Specialists provide coaching, support, and access to needed resources throughout the relationship. In addition, working with each youth’s parents/caregivers, teachers, and counselors, Youth Development Plans are specifically tailored to each individual youth in our program. Throughout the year, Match Support Specialists track progress on personally identified goals.
Trauma Informed Training, provided to all program participants, provides all match stakeholders the tools needed to better understand the challenges or behaviors that result in youth from traumatic life experiences. When we integrate this training with youth mentoring, we can successfully transform the lives of children facing adversity.
Financial support will be used to deliver mentoring services to local at-risk youth, provide mental health support, and advocacy for kids and their families.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami Valley
Since 1958, the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami Valley is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Big Brothers Big Sisters operates under the belief that inherent in every child is incredible potential. We make meaningful, monitored mentoring matches between adult volunteers (Bigs) and local youth (Littles), ages 7 through 18, across Montgomery, Miami, Greene, and Preble counties. As the leading evidence-based mentoring organization in the Miami Valley, currently serving 344 local youth, we help children realize their full potential and build strong futures.
In addition to one-to-one mentoring, we provide group match activities focused on STEM to build confidence and self-efficacy around science, technology, engineering and math subjects and to expose them to various related career paths to help break the cycle of generational poverty. We also provide family care packages which include nonperishable food, personal care items and cleaning supplies to the youth who are in most need.
How Can You Get Involved in the Miami Valley?
We are always looking for volunteer mentors to match with youth in the Miami Valley. If you think you would make a great mentor to a child, sign up today!