Consumers Energy Interns Have Statewide Impact With Summer Service Projects

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Aug 17, 2010, 06:30 ET

JACKSON, Mich., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- "What did you do this summer?" For more than 60 summer interns at Consumers Energy, they can say: Feeding the hungry, teaching youngsters to read and renovating homes for folks in need.

Ten nonprofit agencies in Michigan have benefited this summer from service and fundraising projects created by an "Intern Challenge" sponsored by Consumers Energy. In total, the summer interns volunteered more than 350 hours of service and raised more than $2,500 for the nonprofit agencies.

The interns, representing 12 universities and colleges, have worked at utility facilities throughout the state's Lower Peninsula. "We consider our summer internship program a pipeline to possible future employment at Consumers Energy," said Suzanne Jones, senior human resources consultant and coordinator of the summer intern program.

Charitable organizations benefiting from a service or fundraising project include:

Feeding America West Michigan in Grand Rapids;
Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity in Holland;
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Michigan Capitol Region;
Hidden Harvest in Saginaw;
Bay Area Women's Center in Bay City;
Salvation Army Food Pantry in Adrian;
Jackson Interfaith Shelter in Jackson;
Imagination Library in Jackson;
Greater Jackson Habitat for Humanity Restore in Jackson;
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Jackson County.

"Service to our communities is a core value at Consumers Energy," said Carolyn Bloodworth, the utility's director of corporate giving. "We wanted to share a part of our corporate culture with these potential future employees and provide them an opportunity to work on a project with some immediate and measurable results. The nonprofits were tremendously supportive and many local businesses helped to partner to make these projects even more successful than we could have imagined."

Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, provides natural gas and electricity to nearly 6.5 million of Michigan's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, visit our Website at www.consumersenergy.com

SOURCE Consumers Energy