Fire departments, schools, libraries and townships are a few of the 40 Pennsylvania organizations that will receive more than $350,000 in funding this fall from Williams through its bi-annual Atlantic Sunrise community grant program. Grants up to $10,000 per applicant are being awarded by Williams to eligible organizations in communities where the proposed Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project would be constructed and operated.

One of the 40 recipients is the Northumberland County Career and Technology Center, which plans to use its $10,000 grant to contribute toward its innovative bakery café, which will also serve as a career training center.

“The Northumberland County CTC Culinary Arts Program will be the location of a ‘bakery café,’ which will provide career training center and serve as a full service, stylish bakery open to the public,” said James F. Monaghan, Administrative Director, Northumberland County Career and Technology Center. “The funding we are receiving from this Williams’ grant will help us renovate the existing area and design a bakery program that will prepare students for family-sustaining jobs. We are very grateful to receive this support.”

Another recipient is the Dallas School District in Luzerne County, which plans to use its $7,500 grant to offer a new, innovative welding course to students.

“The support we’re receiving from Williams will be used to help us kick off a ‘welding 101’ course at Dallas High School which we will offer to both our day-students and community members in the evening,” said Jason Rushmer, Dallas High School Principal. “We will be the first area school to offer this type of course which will help train welders for entering the workforce, especially the energy-related field that are in such close proximity to our district.”

Today’s announcement represents the fourth grant award cycle since the Atlantic Sunrise community grant program was initiated in 2015. Since then, Williams has announced total awards of more than $1.46 million across the 10-county Atlantic Sunrise project area.

Two cycles of Atlantic Sunrise grant awards are announced each year (spring and fall). This cycle’s grant dollars were dispersed in the following broad categories: emergency response ($222,717), education ($51,700) and recreation or community enhancement projects ($76,000).

Grant applications can be completed online at www.williams.com/atlanticsunrise.  Applications must be received by March 1 and September 1.