PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 28, 2013--
NRG Energy Inc. (NYSE: NRG) has donated $123,000 so far this year
through sponsorships and employee auction proceeds as part of a
year-long program to benefit FIRST® (For Inspiration
and Recognition of Science and Technology).
NRG was the pit area sponsor at the FIRST Championship, the
annual global robotics competition held April 24-27 in St. Louis, Mo.
More than 10,000 students from 37 countries put their engineering skills
to the test in front of a crowd of 25,000 in the Edward Jones Dome.
Additional funds were raised by NRG employees through a charitable
auction at the company’s annual softball tournament and cooking contest
held on April 11-12 in Scottsdale, Ariz. These funds will be combined
with future auction proceeds later in the year and used to sponsor up to
10 school robotics teams for the 2013-2014 FIRST season.
“In our opinion, FIRST has been a game changer in terms of
increasing the popularity of science and technology amongst American
youth,” said David Crane, NRG president and CEO. “We are honored to
support FIRST as part of our contribution to fostering a future
workforce that can support a highly technical and rapidly changing
infrastructure.”
A not-for-profit organization founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST
inspires young people’s interest and participation in science and
technology. FIRST students are eligible for over $16 million in
college scholarships from over 150 colleges and universities and the
organization is supported by more than 200 of companies listed on the
Fortune 500.
“NRG is an important company at the forefront of energy that recognizes
the value of supporting the mission of FIRST,” said Bob Tuttle,
Interim President, FIRST. “We know that when industry and FIRST
combine to help inspire students about science and technology, the
better the chance we have that they will pursue careers in fields like
smart energy and solar power.”
NRG is committed to improving the quality of life in local communities
through employee-led volunteerism, donations, and corporate grant
matching. Earlier this year, NRG employees raised $428,000 for Hurricane
Sandy relief efforts. In 2012, NRG contributed $5.4 million and 17,000
volunteer hours to benefit about 700 charitable organizations.
About NRG
NRG is at the forefront of changing how people think about and use
energy. We deliver cleaner and smarter energy choices for our customers,
backed by the nation’s largest independent power generation portfolio of
fossil fuel, nuclear, solar and wind facilities. A Fortune 500 company,
NRG is challenging the U.S. energy industry by becoming the largest
developer of solar power, building the first privately-funded electric
vehicle charging infrastructure, and providing customers with the most
advanced smart energy solutions to better manage their energy use. In
addition to 47,000 megawatts of generation capacity, enough to supply
nearly 40 million homes, our retail electricity providers – Reliant,
Green Mountain Energy and Energy Plus – serve more than two million
customers. More information is available at www.nrgenergy.com.
Connect with NRG Energy on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @nrgenergy.
About FIRST
Accomplished inventor Dean
Kamen founded FIRST®
(For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989
to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people.
Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative
programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while
motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology,
and engineering. With support from more than 200 of the Fortune 500
companies and over $16 million in college scholarships, the
not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST®Robotics
Competition (FRC® ) and FIRST®Tech
Challenge (FTC®) for high-school students, FIRST®LEGO®
League (FLL®) for 9 to 14-year-olds, (9 to 16-year-olds
outside the U.S. and Canada) and Junior
FIRST®LEGO® League (Jr.FLL®)
for 6 to 9-year-olds. Gracious Professionalism® is a way of
doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of
others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST,
go to www.usfirst.org.
FIRST and the FIRST logo are registered trademarks of the
United States Foundation For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
Technology (FIRST). LEGO® is a registered trademark of
The LEGO Group.
Source: NRG Energy Inc.
NRG
Karen Cleeve, 609-524-4608
or
FIRST
Cheryl
Walsh, 603-206-2460
cwalsh@usfirst.org