Teaching kids about electricity and responsible use of resources comes with fun at The Water Course, Alabama Power's hands-on museum in Clanton, Ala.

Southern Company and its employees actively engage in community service and philanthropy. We encourage volunteerism, take on leadership roles, and apply our time and experience to furthering good causes.

Giving

At Southern Company, we make direct corporate contributions and endow and fund independent, non-profit company foundations that contribute to arts and culture, health and human services, civic and community projects, safety, education, and the environment. Foundation Web sites: Alabama Power | Georgia Power | Mississippi Power | Gulf Power
Giving Totals »

Club of Hearts and other employee service programs throughout our company raise about $2 million annually from employees. The funds support United Way charities and other organizations like the Ronald McDonald House, American Cancer Society, Salvation Army, and Council for Aging, plus other causes listed below.

Employees freely give back to their communities, serving as volunteers in home building projects, outreach activities, blood drives, and other programs.

Additionally, company grants and employee donations make possible Family Services Assistance, an employee emergency fund. Family Services assists employees with significant damage to personal property from a storm so they can carry on restoration duties for the community.

Volunteerism

In addition to grants and charitable donations, Southern Company subsidiaries offer opportunities for employees to volunteer for community outreach, including hurricane relief, Relay for Life and March of Dimes' WalkAmerica. The latter two programs involved over 1,700 employees and raised over $350,000 in 2008. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, employees participate in a company-sponsored program—to make it a "day on, not a day off"—and work with community groups in the spirit of service, activism, and diversity. Another 864 volunteers gave nearly 2600 hours of their time on King Day in 2008.

Volunteer groups across Southern Company donated more than 150,000 hours in community service. In addition our "citizens" groups raise and disburse over $200,000 to communities and state projects.

Community service groups for employees and retirees administered by Southern Company or its subsidiaries include the Alabama Power Service Organization, Alabama Power Energizers, Georgia Power Ambassadors, Citizens of Georgia Power, Gulf Power Transformers, and the Mississippi Power Community Connection. These groups work on education, the environment, community and economic development, and they support hospitals, libraries, shelters, food banks, nursing homes, children's homes, and non-profit organizations. All told, thousands of our employees and retirees freely give more than 200,000 hours annually for positive works to improve the communities we serve.

Project SHARE

Project SHARE provides emergency assistance to customers who need help with basic necessities—housing, food, medical care, and utility services. Project SHARE assists the elderly, the disabled, the unemployed, the sick, and others who are experiencing financial hardship. In some areas, Southern Company subsidiaries contribute directly to Project SHARE or match funds contributed by customers. We also promote Project SHARE in advertising and on customer Web sites and facilitate contributions by customers on thier electricity bills and by employees through payroll deduction. The program is administered by The Salvation Army in Georgia and the American Red Cross in Alabama and Mississippi.

Payne Stewart Award

The Payne Stewart Award is presented annually by the PGA TOUR Policy Board and Southern Company to a PGA TOUR player sharing Stewart's respect for the traditions of golf and his commitment to uphold the game's heritage of charitable support. The $300,000 Payne Stewart Award Grant is awarded at THE TOUR Championship and supports the First Tee organization, the Stewart Family Foundation, and charities named by the winner. First Tee helps young people of all backgrounds develop character through golf and scholarship. The Stewart Family Foundation aids less fortunate children.