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FirstEnergy's Green Initiative to Enhance Communities

In an inspiring move toward environmental stewardship, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) is significantly boosting its efforts to cultivate healthier communities through the planting of trees. The year 2025 saw the corporation surpass its goal by planting over 30,000 trees across its six-state service territory, with plans for an additional 26,000 trees in 2026. This initiative, which marks a continuation of before, showcases FirstEnergy's ongoing commitment to sustainability and community partnership.

The Volunteers Behind the Green Efforts

Much of this ecological progress is attributed to FirstEnergy's dedicated employee volunteers, known as the Green Teams. These enthusiastic groups of workers come together to undertake environmental projects, with their efforts dating back to the program's inception in 2020. To date, they have collectively planted an impressive 131,000 trees in partnership with local parks, schools, and various organizations. Their initiative emphasizes the importance of selecting appropriate locations and native species tailored to each unique environment.

Jessica Shaffer, the Advanced Scientist leading the Green Teams, expresses the profound impact this initiative has on local communities, stating, "Nearly 800 FirstEnergy employees volunteered their time to help make our communities greener, cleaner, and a more beautiful place to live, work, and raise a family. These trees are planted in strategic locations, safely distanced from power lines. We genuinely care about giving back to the communities that nourish us."

A Year of Growth: 2025 Achievements

In 2025, FirstEnergy's commitment to environmental sustainability resulted in employees volunteering at 151 distinct events, contributing a remarkable total of 3,438 hours towards tree-planting activities. Notably, over half of these events were conducted in underserved communities, further emphasizing the company’s mission to enhance quality of life across diverse population segments.

The distribution of tree donations in 2025 demonstrates this initiative's expansive reach:

• - Ohio: Close to 14,000 trees were planted and donated, facilitated by a team of 440 employees at 70 events.
• - Pennsylvania: More than 6,000 trees were involved in 16 community-focused events with 62 engaged employees.
• - West Virginia and Maryland: Approximately 7,000 trees were planted by 227 employees at 50 events.
• - New Jersey: Over 2,000 trees saw new homes through the efforts of 68 employees across 15 occasions.

In addition to trees, the Green Teams also established 26 community gardens in 2025, covering a total of 113,289 square feet, contributing to local ecosystem support and pollinator health.

Looking Forward: Tree Planting Goals for 2026

As they build on past successes, FirstEnergy has set ambitious tree-planting goals for 2026, aiming to plant and donate more than 26,000 trees. This upcoming initiative underscores the company's dedication to promoting cleaner air, enhancing ecosystems, and improving the green spaces within the locales its customers inhabit.

The project will focus on native tree varieties such as red maple, hickory, oak, and dogwood. Partnering with nonprofits and local community groups, these trees are expected to provide natural shade, bolster watershed health, beautify neighborhoods, and even yield fruit for schools and food banks.

For those interested in learning more about FirstEnergy’s environmental commitments and corporate responsibilities, visit fecorporateresponsibility.com. FirstEnergy remains steadfast in its core values of integrity, safety, reliability, and operational excellence, working diligently to serve over six million customers across Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland, and New York. More details about FirstEnergy can be found at firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.

Stay tuned for more updates on sustainability initiatives led by FirstEnergy, as they continue to prioritize greener, healthier communities!

Editor's Note

Enthusiasts can find photos of FirstEnergy's tree planting events available for download on Flickr.