Pennsylvania American Water and American Water Charitable Foundation Partner to Support West Reading Relief Efforts

Picture: Ed Baetzel and Dave Seltzer of Pennsylvania American Water present Berks County Community Foundation president Kevin Murphy (center) with a $10,000 donation to support West Reading relief efforts.

West Reading, PA (April 19, 2023) Pennsylvania American Water, in collaboration with American Water Charitable Foundation (AWCF), are lending support to the relief efforts in West Reading following the fatal chocolate factory explosion in March. This week, the American Water Charitable Foundation donated $10,000 to the Berks County Community Foundation’s West Reading Disaster Recovery Fund.

“Numerous members of our Pennsylvania American Water family have strong ties to the area, and all of us simply want to be good neighbors and do what we can to help those in need,” said Justin Ladner, president of Pennsylvania American Water. “We appreciate the generous support of so many in this community already. We want our neighbors in West Reading to know that all American Water employees across the country – not just those here in Pennsylvania – are with you.”

West Reading is located between Pennsylvania American Water’s Glen Alsace water system and Exeter wastewater systems. With its nearly 9,500 water customers and 7,900 wastewater customers, and its 20 employees, Pennsylvania American Water calls this area home.

“Support from these generous donations will be distributed in a variety of ways, said Kevin Murphy, president, Berks County Community Foundation. “Funding will provide financial assistance to the families of individuals who lost their lives in the explosion, to individuals displaced from their homes, to organizations helping identify alternative employment opportunities, and supporting the Borough of West Reading with their commemorative planning.”

“The American Water Charitable Foundation is pleased to join the ongoing relief efforts to support the families and community impacted by this devastating event,” said Carrie Williams, president, American Water Charitable Foundation. “We are grateful to the Berks County Community Foundation for their leadership during a very difficult time."

About American Water Charitable Foundation
The American Water Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a formal way to demonstrate the company’s ongoing commitment to be a good neighbor, citizen, and contributor to the communities where American Water and its employees live, work and operate. For more information, visit amwater.com/awcf and follow the American Water Charitable Foundation on Facebook.

About Berks County Community Foundation

Berks County Community Foundation is a nonprofit corporation serving as a civic leader for our region by developing, managing, and distributing charitable funds to improve the quality of life in Berks County, PA. More information is available at www.bccf.org.

Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 2.4 million people. For more information, visit www.pennsylvaniaamwater.com and follow Pennsylvania American Water on Twitter and Facebook.

About American Water

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs approximately 6,500 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and regulated-like drinking water and wastewater services to an estimated 14 million people in 24 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable, and reliable water services to our customers to help keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and diversityataw.com. Follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.