IN THE COMMUNITY

CenterPoint Energy employees are well known for their willingness to roll up their sleeves to perform volunteer work in their communities.

In addition to posting nearly 100,000 hours of volunteer service, employees raised $1.5 million for community charities. We gave generously to organizations such as the United Way, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the March of Dimes, Junior Achievement and the United Negro College Fund.

From Texas to Mississippi, from Louisiana to Minnesota and points in between, CenterPoint Energy employees participated in events that included blood drives, charity walks, debris clean-ups, parades and bicycle rides. We donated 4,100 units of blood and blood products, continuing our leadership in this area. We played a key role in the set-up and operation of Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center for Hurricane Katrina evacuees, with more than 230 employees contributing 8,500 hours of volunteer service. Under our new Grant Incentives for Volunteer Employees (GIVE) program, we awarded $24,300 to organizations where employees volunteered at least 40 hours for the year.

Our volunteer spirit did not go unnoticed: In Houston, we received the Corporate Partner of the Year Award from the Ensemble Theatre; the Mayor’s Proud Partner Award for the Edgewood Elementary Beautification Project; the Vietnamese Cultural and Science Association Corporate Citizen Award; and the Dragon Boat Regatta, First Place, Energy Industry Award. We also received a National Blood donor award.

Some of the larger events in which our employees participated were the CenterPoint Energy Torchlight Parade in Minneapolis; Prairie Restoration in Burnsville, Minn., to restore indigenous plants, grasses and wildflowers to the Minnesota River Valley; Habitat for Humanity, where we helped build several homes; the CenterPoint Energy Mudbug Festival in Shreveport, La.; the Brantley Farm Dove Hunt fundraiser for Children’s Hospital in Arkansas; the Camp Aldersgate project where Little Rock employees cleared land to provide a camp experience for handicapped children; and the Power Tools for Nonprofits Conference in Houston, where each year we bring together hundreds of representatives from community groups to learn from experts how to enhance the effectiveness of their organizations.