Met-Ed Joins Local Community to Celebrate Berks Pride Fest

Pictured from left at Met-Ed’s booth at the Berks Pride Fest are Reading Mayor Eddie Moran, Heather Stoudt, business analyst, Rachel Kachel, customer contact center manager and Marisela Fuster, regional external affairs consultant.

Employees of FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company, which does business in eastern areas of the state as Met-Ed, demonstrated their dedication to bridging a cultural climate of division through a spirit of inclusiveness at the recent Berks Pride Fest in Reading. The group hosted a table to provide employment information for FirstEnergy’s nearby Customer Care Center and hand out energy efficiency tips to help customers manage their electric bills.

Heather Stoudt, business analyst at Met-Ed, and her kids were among the 4,000 visitors to the popular festival at Jim Dietrich Park along the Schuylkill River. A member of Alternate Current, a FirstEnergy Employee Business Resource Group that works to uplift the LGBTQ+ community in areas served by the company and in the workplace, Stoudt wanted her child to experience diversity and tolerance firsthand.

“We all deserve to be proud of who we are, how we live and who we love,” Stoudt said. “Participating in the Reading Pride Celebration allowed me to celebrate the vibrancy of the LGBTQ+ community with my own children, showing them acceptance, support and understanding no matter how they identify.”

FirstEnergy provided a $1,000 donation to Reading Pride Celebration, the non-profit group that organizes the annual festival, to bolster its mission to support the local LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, Met-Ed donated six gently used laptop computers to assist the organization with its work.

Guy Ryno, a FirstEnergy information technology expert who also serves as Reading Pride Celebration’s treasurer, stressed that Reading Pride’s mission reaches far beyond its popular yearly festival.

“The Reading Pride Celebration hosts a free Youth Prom where teens are free to be their authentic selves, an art show celebrating local artists and participates in as many community events as possible,” Ryno said. “None of this is possible without volunteers and financial support from individuals and companies. I am very thankful that FirstEnergy supports its employees and the communities it serves.”

Rachel Kachel, a Customer Care Center manager and Alternate Current member, used the festival as a springboard to network and connect with community and business leaders to envision future collaborations and partnerships.

“Our participation in the Berks Pride Fest signals that FirstEnergy values and supports individuals from all backgrounds, fostering an environment where everyone feels respected and included,” Kachel said. “It can significantly boost employee morale and engagement.”

“We are dedicated to making a positive impact beyond our business operations, contributing to the well-being and progress of society,” Kachel added.

To learn more about FirstEnergy’s community involvement initiatives visit Community (firstenergycorp.com). 