SJI Donates $39,000 to the South Jersey Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy

FOLSOM, NJ, January 7, 2025 – SJI recently presented its Employee Resource Group, the South Jersey Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE-SJC), with a donation check from the company’s annual employee giving campaign as part of a Lunch & Learn event held at SJI’s headquarters in Folsom, NJ.

In addition to the check, totaling $39,080 for 2024, SJI also announced the commitment of donating $49,930 to AABE through its employee giving campaign in 2025.

“Thank you to our dedicated SJI employees for supporting our mission to help students pursue higher education in colleges and technical schools,” said Will Smith, AABE South Jersey Employee Executive Sponsor and VP, Office of Operational Excellence, SJI. “The contributions will directly fuel scholarships that empower their academic journeys. We are truly honored by the generosity of our employees.”

AABE is a national organization focused on ensuring African Americans and other minorities have input into developing energy policy regulations and environmental issues and on providing scholarships and service to the community.

AABE held the Lunch & Learn to kick off its 2025 Scholarship Application Program for students matriculating into college who are interested in STEM-related areas of study.

“AABE works tirelessly to provide students with opportunities that help advance their educational and professional aspirations,” said Lisa Cottman, president of AABE-SJC and Talent Attraction Program Manager at SJI. “I’m proud of what we continue to accomplish as an organization and look forward to providing our local youth and communities with further support in the coming years.”

AABE also partnered with Samaritan, Life-Enhancing Care of South Jersey, on a community service project to create Clay Keepsakes, gifts that help to memorialize and honor a family’s loved one who recently passed away while receiving care from Samaritan.

Applications for the AABE National & Regional Scholarship are now open! Interested students can apply by April 16, 2025, using the following link: https://bit.ly/3GGrTYy.

For more information about SJI and its subsidiaries visit https://www.sjindustries.com.