American Water donates $1.3M to Camden organizations in 2021

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American Water — along with the American Water Charitable Foundation and New Jersey American Water — donated more than $1.3 million in 2021 to community organizations that benefited Camden, the utility company announced March 23.

“American Water is proud to continue supporting impactful local initiatives and programs in Camden,” Susan Hardwick, president and CEO of American Water, said in a statement. “Since moving to Camden in 2018, we’ve been working to grow our partnerships with community organizations that support the residents, families and students in this great city.”

Most recently, the foundation and NJ American Water donated $35,000 to Hopeworks to support its in-house training program expansion, which helps with job placement for young adults.

In a statement, Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen commended American Water for its contributions, calling the company “a catalyst for tangible transformation in Camden.”

In addition to Hopeworks, American Water gave more than $300,000 to several Camden-based nonprofits last year, supporting organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of Camden County, LUCY Outreach, Mighty Writers, St. Joseph’s Carpenter Society, UrbanPromise and Joseph’s House of Camden.

The company’s engagement and support of community initiatives also include:

• Partnering with Fresh Artists, which works with local youth artists, to display more than 100 pieces at American Water’s Camden headquarters;
• Donating $250,000 to LUCY Outreach to go toward the organization’s youth center;
• NJ American Water’s contribution of $950,000 in Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit funding to Parkside Business and Community in Partnership of Camden to improve housing and economic development opportunities in the city’s Parkside neighborhood;
• Commemorating the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, with a display of 2,977 American flags – one for each life lost – on RCA Pier;
• The foundation’s final grant installment of $150,000 to complete the construction of a STEM Lab at Woodrow Wilson High School (soon to be Eastside High), opening to students this fall.