ComEd and Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is Accepting Applications for $60,000 in Grants to Fund Community Holiday Light Events
09 July 2024 - 2:00AM
Business Wire
Communities Encouraged to Apply for
Competitive Grants up to $2,500 Each to Support Festive Holiday
Events
While summer festivals and barbecues currently light up our
communities, it's never too early to start planning for the magic
of the winter holiday season. For the fourth consecutive year,
ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus invite municipalities and
community organizations to apply for competitive grants of up to
$2,500 each through the ComEd Powering the Holidays Program. This
program supports vibrant community holiday lights events, held in
ComEd’s northern Illinois service territory, that celebrate the
diverse cultures and traditions of the region.
This year, ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus are offering
a total of $60,000 in funding for the 2024 grant program to bring
multiple holiday lights celebrations to life. The application
period will close at 11:59 p.m. CDT on Aug. 23, 2024. To learn more
or apply, visit the ComEd Powering the Holidays Program.
“ComEd is honored to collaborate with the Metropolitan Mayors
Caucus once again to bring holiday cheer through our Powering the
Holidays Program,” said Melissa Washington, Senior Vice
President of Customer Operations and Strategic Initiatives at
ComEd. “We are excited to experience the holiday celebrations
and breathtaking light displays that this grant will support,
showcasing the rich cultural diversity and traditions celebrated
across northern Illinois.”
Eligible applicants include municipalities, townships, counties,
and local government units within ComEd's service territory.
Not-for-profit organizations and cultural institutions may also be
eligible if they partner with at least one municipality or
government institution. Recipients must match 20 percent of the
grant and use the funds for any holiday event held between Nov. 1,
2024, and Feb. 13, 2025. The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus will review
applications and administer grant awards for qualifying applicants.
Awardees are anticipated to be announced in mid-October.
“The ComEd Powering the Holidays Program enhances Illinois
communities by expanding current holiday celebrations and
establishing new traditions that foster unity and inclusivity,”
said Neil James, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Mayors
Caucus. “We are delighted to partner with ComEd on this grant
initiative.”
Since its inception, the ComEd Powering the Holidays Program has
awarded 46 communities and organizations a total of $111,000 in
grants to power holiday lights events over the past three years.
These events showcase a diverse array of sounds, colors, and light
displays, while celebrating cultures and traditions from around the
world in cities and villages across northern Illinois.
During the 2023 holiday season, 18 communities throughout
northern Illinois utilized these grants to support their holiday
lights events.
The City of Aurora hosted its Winter Lights Festival, with a
holiday parade in downtown Aurora. During the festival, guests were
invited to take pictures with Mr. and Mrs. Claus and enjoy other
holiday activities. The neighborhood was adorned with holiday
lights and decorations, which remained on display through early
February.
“Aurora’s Winter Lights Festival has always been a cherished
event, uniting people of all ages. The remarkable success Aurora
experienced during the 2023 holiday season is a testament of
generosity of ComEd’s Powering the Holidays Grant,” said Mayor
Richard Irvin of Aurora. “We deeply appreciate ComEd’s
contributions and partnership in making this holiday event truly
extraordinary.”
In Chicago, Real Men Charities hosted the South Shore
Power Up, an interactive multi-media holiday lights display along
the 75th Street corridor. The light installation told the stories
of South Shore's holiday traditions, enabling the community to come
together and celebrate.
"Thanks to ComEd's Powering the Holidays grant, South Shore
Power Up transformed an entire block into a festive and welcoming
celebration during last year’s holiday season,” said Krystal
Amevor, who curated the program as part of Real Men Charities’
participation in the South Shore Quality of Life Plan’s
Beautification and Stewardship team.
“The grant enabled us to create interactive lights displays and
share stories and traditions from residents, making it a memorable
month-long occasion for families and friends, thanks to added
support garnered from the South Shore Chamber and Choose Chicago.
We are grateful for ComEd’s generosity towards our organization,”
said Rael Jackson, Real Men Charities Protean Manager.
The ComEd Powering the Holidays Program is an extension of
ComEd's long-standing sponsorship and support for holiday lights
events at Lincoln Park Zoo, Brookfield Zoo, The Morton Arboretum,
and Chicago Botanic Garden. For more information about Powering the
Holidays, visit the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus website.
ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ:
EXC), a Fortune 200 energy company with approximately 10 million
electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of
customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million
customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's
population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with
the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.
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