BANGOR – K&A Engineering Consulting, a global full-service engineering firm with offices in Bangor, has donated $2,000 to Penquis through Power Match, a charitable matching program created in partnership with Versant Power. The $2,000 donation will be matched 100% by Versant and provide electricity bill assistance to those who do not qualify for traditional assistance programs.
“At K&A, we have four core values: Employee First, Client Centricity, Servant Leadership, and K&A Cares. Every day, we roll up our sleeves to put our values to work because we want to positively impact our team members, partners, and the community. Understanding the challenges we all face in our economy today, we must focus our energy and action on areas that make a difference. Versant's Power Match program is doing that, and K&A is proud to be part of the solution. We look forward to working with our partners on future community action programs,” said Becky Johnson, Senior Director of Project Execution at K&A.
In November 2022, Versant agreed to match all donations up to $200,000 to Power Match. The funds are distributed amongst the three community action programs in Versant’s service territory (Penquis, Downeast Community Partners, and Aroostook County Action Program) based on donations received through their individual Power Match donation portals. As of September 1, $84,550 has been donated across the three Power Match funds, bringing the total donations with Versant’s matching commitment to $169,100. In August, officials from County of Aroostook, Versant Power, and the Aroostook County Action Program announced a $75,000 grant awarded to ACAP through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding administered by the County of Aroostook was matched dollar for dollar by Versant Power through Power Match.
“When we committed to supporting our neighbors back in November, we knew there was a need for this kind of assistance,” said Kendra Overlock, Vice President, Customer Operations at Versant Power. “Our local agency partners have been instrumental in administering Power Match funds. This donation from K&A Engineering Consulting, one of our trusted partners in delivering safe and reliable electricity to our customers, will make a huge difference in the lives of several families in the Penquis territory.”
Many customers within Versant Power’s service area do not qualify for low-income assistance based on income eligibility guidelines, but still need help with utility bills. Power Match reduces this gap by providing bill credits to customers who exceed income eligibility guidelines for programs such as the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).
“We are incredibly grateful to K&A Engineering Consulting for this generous support,” said Kara Hay, CEO of Penquis. “We all recognize electricity as being essential to our health, safety and wellbeing. Keeping individuals and families connected when they are experiencing hardship ensures some of their most basic needs are met. We deeply appreciate K&A Engineering Consulting and Versant Power for caring for our community in this vital way.”
ACAP, Penquis, and DCP determined who should receive bill credits under eligibility guidelines they established and shared those details with Versant Power, who credited customers’ bills with an amount determined by the community action program.
To donate, please visit https://www.versantpower.com/community/power-match/. You can also follow Versant Power on Twitter (@versantpower), Instagram (versantpower) or LinkedIn for updates.
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K&A is a full-service engineering firm transforming the power industry. We specialize in electric power delivery and energy engineering services, including project management and construction management support services. A minority-owned enterprise, the company is known for employing passionate people with deep experience and delivering configurable solutions and superior service to its clients.
Penquis is a nonprofit organization incorporated in 1967 to alleviate and eliminate the causes and conditions of poverty. Through its programs and subsidiaries, Penquis impacts all of Maine’s sixteen counties, but primarily serves low- and moderate-income individuals in Penobscot, Piscataquis and Knox counties.
Versant Power is committed to delivering safe, reliable electric service. As the state's second-largest electric utility, the company delivers electricity to more than 165,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers across 10,400 square miles in northern and eastern Maine.
