In the Community

Making Our Community Even Better

UI is proud to be a corporate partner in the communities we serve. We help shape the quality of life in Connecticut by supporting organizations and activities that maintain the health and wellbeing of our customers and communities.

UI and its parent company, AVANGRID, Inc. provide grants to 501(c3) organizations that improve the vitality of the communities we serve, with a focus on energy sustainability, the environment, art and culture, and cooperation and solidarity. UI is committed to Economic Development in the towns and cities we serve.

Our employees are actively engaged in the community through an annual Employee Giving Campaign to raise funds in support of nonprofit organizations in our service territory. Employees also participate in company-sponsored blood drives, Habitat for Humanity builds, school events and holiday gift drives.

Speaker's Bureau

The public can engage with UI through our speakers’ bureau program.  Speakers are available for community groups, schools, service organizations and senior centers interested in learning more about a variety of subjects, including electric utility restructuring, environmental responsibility, electrical safety, meter theft, emergency preparedness, billing issues, energy efficiency and careers in the utility industry.

To learn more about UI’s involvement in the community, or to request a speaker for your event, submit an Request a Presentation online form or contact Eileen Lopez-Cordone at 203.499.5953.

Quality of Life

Since 1899 UI has recognized that Connecticut is an extraordinary place to live and do business. From green natural beauty to the breathtaking shoreline to diverse cultures and activities — Connecticut has it all! UI is proud to help shape the quality of life in Connecticut by supporting organizations and activities created to maintain the health and well-being of our communities. To us, this means the economic activity sparked by the arts, maintaining the beauty of our cities and towns, and offering a helping hand to those in need. Here are a few of the organizations and programs we believe make a difference in the quality of life in Connecticut:

• Cardinal Shehan Center offers an environmental program that addresses a variety of problems facing our region. Through a year-long program, inner city children will learn about and explore nature-thereby knowing how to protect their environment and community and provide field trip opportunities to local farms which will further promote their learning, and enrich their growth and development. The youth are taught how to cultivate the crop and learn how to make healthy meals with them in the cooking program at the center.

• East Rock Park in New Haven is a popular destination for hikers, bikers, and anyone who likes to be inspired by the beauty of the New Haven Harbor, Long Island Sound and the park itself.  Once a year, our employees volunteer their time to cleaning up the park on a Saturday morning. The environment is important and collectively, we like to play a part in keeping it clean.
• TEAM's mission-driven activities and programs include the following: Early Education offers state and federally subsidized preschool development programs to children between 3-5 yrs. of age. Child & Adult Care Food Program provides cash assistance for nutritious meals & snacks according to USDA guidelines. Elderly Services programs assist the elderly to live independently and safely in their homes through the Meals-on-Wheels, Senior Community Café Sites, Medical Transportation, Homemaking and Volunteer Caregivers services. Home Heating Assistance, also known as Energy Assistance provides financial assistance to low-income families for winter heating costs as a protection for the households' health and safety. 

In towns within our service territory, UI supports efforts to educate residents on energy efficiency and environmental resources. By sponsoring Earth Day events, offering eesmarts™ programs, hosting free programs at our Energize CT Center and providing free presentations on saving energy, UI helps bring attention to the ways in which we can all take part in protecting our world, preserving our natural resources and sustaining our quality of life.

UI Employees – Our Greatest Asset

UI employees are devoted to the communities in which they live and work, and are personally and professionally active in Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs, Chambers of Commerce, schools and non-profit organizations. UI encourages employee volunteerism by providing matching support for a variety of activities and memberships.

Every year, UI conducts its own company-wide campaign to support non-profit organizations in our service territory.  Employees generously give to the campaign to address the needs of communities in which they work and live.  In addition, key UI executives and managers have chaired regional campaigns, directed major campaign cabinet divisions, and served on boards, lending expertise and providing guidance to organizations in our community.

Many non-profit organizations have benefited from the generosity UI employees have demonstrated time and time again. Here are a few that have benefited:

• Make A Wish – By the generous donations of employees, and with a match from the Avangrid Foundation, we were able to grant a Make-A-Wish to a child and his family.
• Columbus House – The winter season is a cold one.  To help the homeless population in our communities stay warm, boxes of new and gently used scarves, hats and mittens/gloves were donated to the Columbus House in New Haven.
• Christian Community Action – Food insecurity is a problem in CT.  Employees wanted to make a difference and hosted a food drive to benefit a local organization. The outpouring of support resulted in an abundance of food collected and donated to Christian Community Action this spring.

Development of People

UI is proud to support organizations throughout our service territory working today to provide individuals with the skills and education they need for better lives tomorrow. We are especially interested in programs focused on exposing young people to a variety of careers; programs promoting the study of math and science; programs providing guidance on financial literacy and “life skills;” and programs which affect economic outcomes for disadvantaged youth. Organizations and programs we believe are helping to address the socio-economic needs of Connecticut’s current and future residents include:

• LEAP’s mission is to develop the strengths and talents of young leaders who create and implement year-round, community-based programming designed to achieve positive academic and social outcomes for children living in high-poverty urban neighborhoods. Our company is proud to support the Leaders-in-Training (LIT) program which addresses a critical need in New Haven for positive programming for middle school-aged youth during high risk “out-of-school” hours – specifically during the summer and after school. The objective of the LIT program is to help youth (ages 13-15) learn to make positive choices about themselves, their education, their careers, and their community.
• The WorkPlace, Inc. through the American Job Center provides a career coach which is a vital resource supporting those in need who cannot access technology or an American Job Center in the area. It is a one-stop shop on wheels and mobile classroom which brings career services and computer training to job seekers! The Career Coach makes regular visits to cities and towns across Connecticut helping job seekers with Career Services, Job Search Assistance, Computer Skills Training and customized programs. The Career Coach travels throughout Fairfield County and the Valley to deliver this much needed service. We are proud to put our support toward this great cause.
• Mercy Learning Center has been serving the greater Bridgeport area since 1987.  The center has provided basic literacy and life skills to low-income women by using a “holistic” approach within a compassionate, supportive community.  By educating these women, Mercy Learning Center provides critical training to help functionally illiterate women improve their skills and earning potential, creating a more hopeful future for themselves and their children.