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Florida Power & Light Company
Media Line: 561-694-4442
July 10, 2024
@FPL_Newsroom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 *Link to photos https://fpl.sharefile.com/public/share/web-s1a8bec6a6c73409ba38b71814b7f58fa (photos courtesy of THF)

FPL support empowers six nonprofits that are building stronger communities and providing life-changing opportunities

Photo caption: Marc Tirres, a former Air Force special operator, is now director of programs for the institution that helped him transition into civilian life.

 

Pensacola, Florida — Our communities have diverse needs from active-duty military transitioning to civilian life, to students needing access to technology tools and STEM education, residents requiring life-saving fire alarms, and young adults seeking a pathway to promising careers.

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is honored to support six nonprofits across Northwest Florida, addressing these needs by awarding $50,000 in grants through the NextEra Energy Foundation, the charitable arm of FPL’s parent company. These are the first of three rounds of grants FPL Northwest region will provide this year focusing on areas such as education, food insecurity, senior citizen support and child advocacy, as well as grants focused on environmental conservation and protection.

One of the recipients, The Honor Foundation (THF), aids the U.S. Special Operations Forces by providing a Veteran transition program locally in Okaloosa County. THF focuses on helping special operators transition to civilian life after their service. So far, more than 2,500 have graduated from the program since its inception a decade ago.

 Marc Tirres, THF Eglin director of programs and a graduate of the transition program said, “When that time comes for special operators to hang up their uniform and transition into the civilian sector, many of them struggle with redefining their identity and finding a new purpose in this next chapter. Support from organizations like FPL are vital to providing the tools and skills needed for a successful transition.

“THF’s mission is to serve others with honor for life, so their next mission is clear and continues to impact the world,” Tirres said. “Thank you, FPL for your part in supporting our mission.”

 THF has successfully helped all ranks of special operators, including Jimmy Cleckler, a Special Tactics Officer retiring in Spring 2025, in acquiring new skills for civilian life.

“This program not only helped me immensely but also provided crucial information for my family’s adjustment to the civilian life,” Clecker said.

 Col. Allison Black, former 1 Special Operations Wing commander, shared her experience, saying that after serving her country for over 32 years, “transitioning to the corporate world was overwhelming. The Honor Foundation was the perfect program to help me navigate these pressures and fears … and transition with confidence.”

 The other first-round recipients are:

  • Advanced Sacred Hope Academy: Fort Walton Beach (Okaloosa County) To equip the school’s library for students with autism and neurological disorders with a computer lab to enhance educational access to the students.
  • American Red Cross NWFL: Home Fire Campaign (Serves Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties) Provides free smoke alarms to those in need to help make our customers’ homes safer.
  • Goodwill Industries Big Bend: (Bay County) To support the Healthcare Career Launcher program, which will be offered at a new state-of-the art Career Training Center in Panama City. The program will allow training of up to 200 students annually in the Certified Nursing Assistant program.
  • Pensacola Yacht Club’s Satori Foundation: (Escambia County) To support scholarships for local disadvantaged youth to introduce them to maritime activities such as swimming, fishing and sailing while also teaching them marine and environmental science. This is a recent expansion to their services.
  • AMI Kids YouthBuild program: (Escambia County) That provides high-school dropouts a second chance at earning their GED and a nationally recognized vocational certification.

 “At FPL, we are honored to support all of these remarkable nonprofits that lend a hand to lift up those in need, and provide life-changing opportunities,” said J.T. Young, FPL Northwest region VP and general manager. “Together, we strive to strengthen and improve the quality of life in our communities, making them even better places to live, work, thrive and raise a family.”

 

About FPL

As America’s largest electric utility, Florida Power & Light Company serves more customers and sells more power than any other utility, providing clean, affordable, reliable electricity to approximately 5.9 million accounts, or more than 12 million people. FPL operates one of the most fuel efficient and cleanest power generation fleets in the U.S. and in 2022 won the ReliabilityOne® National Reliability Award for the seventh time in the last eight years. The company was also recognized by Escalent in 2022 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities for the ninth consecutive year. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, corporate responsibility, ethics and compliance, and diversity. NextEra Energy is ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune’s 2023 list of “World’s Most Admired Companies” and recognized on Fortune’s 2021 list of companies that “Change the World.” NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.