On Monday, January 15, the country spent the day celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Dr. King) for his birthday—with many Americans opting to honor his lasting contributions by giving back to fill a need in their communities.
Derrick Gildon volunteering at Chicago Food Depository
While ComEd offices were closed on Monday, January 15, many of our employees took action to approach the holiday as a “day on, not a day off.” ComEd employees, family and friends spent the day around northern Illinois volunteering for causes close to their hearts.
Derrick Gildon, Senior Training Specialist, was one of many ComEd volunteers who spent MLK Day volunteering with the Chicago Food Depository.
“Dr. King prioritized action. Anytime he gave a speech, it was to invoke the listeners to actions that resulted in a better society,” said Derrick. “It’s important to me that every day, especially on the day in which we honor his legacy, we do so by actively participating in serving our communities. Our communities are at the heart of everything we do. It’s important to make the most of every opportunity to say thank you to the people who entrust us to power their lives.”
Derrick Gildon, and ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones volunteering at Chicago Food Depository
When asked about why volunteering is important to her, Destiny Woods, Director of Employee and Labor Relations, shared, “Service is foundational for me in that I was taught to lift up as I climb. It’s important to me to give back for the betterment of those communities that look like me. Volunteering on MLK Day is a priority to me because it serves as a reminder and reaffirmation of Dr. King’s vision for community without barriers where people from different backgrounds come together to strengthen communities. My experience has been that MLK Day service events move us closer to this vision and are a meaningful way to honor Dr. King’s legacy.”
ComEd is proud to take Dr. King’s teachings to heart and strives to make a positive impact in our communities every day. This is reflected in everything we do, including our ComEd 2030 plan—a vision that will guide our company over the next decade. One of the key pillars of our company’s success is measured by our ability to empower our communities and create an equitable energy future. ComEd is more than an electric infrastructure provider, it is a constructive, positive force in the well-being of our local communities and economies. Last year, ComEd employees supported hundreds of volunteer and fundraising opportunities.
ComEd volunteers at MLK volunteer event with Chicago Food Depository
- ComEd employees selected the Alzheimer’s Association to be the beneficiary of the annual ComEd Cause of the Year philanthropy program.
- ComEd employees hosted 211 volunteer events and volunteered a total of 19,329 volunteer hours in 2023.
- ComEd and Exelon employees donated over $1 million dollars to charitable organizations including Special Olympics Chicago, the Alzheimer’s Association and the United Way.
Over the course of 2024, ComEd employees will continue to build on their history of being a supporter of their communities by supporting many philanthropic organizations that benefit northern Illinois residents.
