DQE Duquesne LT Hldgs

Duquesne Light Employees Focus on Two Wilkinsburg Homes PITTSBURGH, April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, April 29, one thousand volunteers will make repairs to the homes of low-income senior citizens across Allegheny County so they may continue to live in warmth, safety and independence. Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh, a non-profit organization that rehabilitates the houses of low-income homeowners, particularly those who are elderly or have disabilities, will lead efforts to make improvements to 31 homes. Approximately 40 Duquesne Light (NYSE:DQE) employee volunteers will work on two homes in Wilkinsburg, which was chosen as the site of this year's cluster project. Altogether, nine homes and a community park in the municipality will receive attention from many of the volunteers who will assist Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh. This is the 14th year for the event. Approximately $400,000 worth of renovations will be completed by Saturday, according to Cindy Gilch, executive director of Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh. "Allegheny County has the second largest population of seniors in the country," said Gilch. "Their financial resources haven't kept up with their life expectancy. Many seniors living in their homes have become physically frail and financially unable to continue with the upkeep of their homes. The work we do enables them to age in place in the home that they've lived in for the past 40 to 50 years." Nationally, Rebuilding Together is the nation's largest volunteer organization that preserves and revitalizes homes and communities. On Saturday, more than 1,879 communities across America will renovate more than 8,900 homes and complete $98 million in improvements. The repair, renovation and modification services for these homeowners help to improve living conditions, and include carpentry, plumbing, electrical, plastering, painting, concrete, weatherization, lock repair, safety modifications, trash removal and cleaning. "The senior citizens of this region have made enormous contributions to southwestern Pennsylvania, and they deserve the chance to live in dignity," added Pam Coates, manager of Community Relations for Duquesne Light. "Our employees enjoy helping our neighbors in need. By investing our time and energy to help restore these properties, we also enable these seniors to safely maintain their independence, and stay in the familiar environment of the homes where they lived and raised their families." About Duquesne Light Company Duquesne Light Company is a leader in the transmission and distribution of electric energy, offering superior customer service and reliability to more than half a million customers in southwestern Pennsylvania. DATASOURCE: Duquesne Light Company CONTACT: Joe Balaban of Duquesne Light Company, +1-412-232-6848

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