News Releases

Kansas City, Mo., Oct 19, 2020 — Evergy announced the grant recipients for the final phase of its Hometown Economic Recovery Program today. Grants totaling $800,000 are helping nonprofit agencies focused on rebuilding their local economies that have been affected by the pandemic.

“The goal of Evergy’s Hometown Economic Recovery Program is to provide grants that go beyond emergency relief, and into longer-term strategic recovery efforts,” said Elizabeth Danforth, Evergy’s director of public affairs. “Our hope is through the economic grants, we’ll help enable our communities to build back their economies.”

Among the 19 grant recipients in Phase 2:

• Dress for Success (Wichita, KS) is the only not-for-profit in Kansas that provides both professional attire and career development services to women. Grant funding will assist in returning women to the workforce through professional development, access to resources and support.
• Missouri Western State University (St. Joseph, MO) trains, mentors and supports area business owners and entrepreneurs.  Economic grants will sustain and expand support for the small business owners of St. Joseph and northwest Missouri through The Center for Entrepreneurship.
• IBSA, Inc. (Topeka, KS) assists low-income individuals reach self-sufficiency through community service activities and small business training. Grant funding will drive enterprise development programming for youths and workforce services to adults referred by the Department of Children and Families, Impact Avenues, and other partner agencies. 
• Cultivate KC (Kansas City, MO) works to grow food, farms and community in support of sustainable and local health food systems for all. Funding from the Hometown Economic Recovery Program will provide support for a four-year farm business incubation program for resettled refugees in Kansas City.

To view a complete list of our Phase 2 recipients, please visit: Hometown Economic Recovery Program

More than 200 applications were submitted throughout the program that ended on October 1 with a total of 42 grants awarded in two phases. Areas of eligibility included small business support, business attraction and retention, and workforce training and development. As part of the effort, Evergy also invested in two small business loan funds, Network Kansas and the GKC COVID Small Business Relief Fund.

Evergy’s Hometown Economic Recovery Program was part of the Company’s overall $2.2 million COVID Customer and Community Relief program announced in May, 2020. The program included three efforts including emergency relief, economic recovery and customer assistance. Evergy’s COVID Relief program pledge is in addition to the annual $6 million provided in community support.

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About Evergy, Inc.

Evergy, Inc. (NYSE: EVRG) serves approximately 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. We were formed in 2018 when long-term local energy providers KCP&L and Westar Energy merged. We generate nearly half the power we provide to homes and businesses with emission-free sources. We support our local communities where we live and work and strive to meet the needs of customers through energy savings and innovative solutions.

Media Contact:

Gina Penzig
Manager, External Communications
Phone: 785-575-8089
Gina.Penzig@evergy.com
Media Line: 888-613-0003