ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. /CitizenWire/ -- The Duke Energy Foundation announced it has awarded a $10,000 grant to The Jackson Copeland Foundation to help ensure families can afford essential living expenses following a blood cancer diagnosis.
The grant is part of a larger commitment from Duke Energy Florida and its Foundation to support the vitality of the communities the company serves.
"No one facing a blood cancer diagnosis should have to endure additional stress from the costs or logistics associated with treatment," said Duke Energy Florida state president Melissa Seixas. "The Jackson Copeland Foundation is doing so much to help alleviate that burden for so many families here in our area. It's an honor to support their important work."
"A leukemia diagnosis shouldn't mean a family loses their home while fighting for their life," said Jeff Copeland, Founder & CEO of The Jackson Copeland Foundation. "This generous grant from the Duke Energy Foundation allows us to tackle the affordability crisis of blood cancer head-on, ensuring patients can secure temporary lodging and travel to life-saving treatments without facing financial ruin. They should be focused on the fight of their lives, not finances or foreclosure. This partnership ensures nobody fights this battle alone-Jackson would go, and so are we."
There are only three National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers in Florida, so hundreds of Florida blood cancer patients must travel to receive treatment each year. Patients receiving a life-saving bone marrow or stem cell transplant, in particular, must secure short-term lodging for up to 100 days during treatment and recovery, which creates a massive affordability crisis for most families.
The $10,000 grant will be used to fund "bridge grants" to low- and moderate-income families within Duke Energy's Florida service footprint who are battling blood cancer. This grant directly addresses those staggering logistical and financial challenges. By covering critical non-medical living expenses-such as primary housing maintenance (rent/mortgage), temporary medical lodging, and transportation costs-the funds ensure the affordability of basic needs during the most disruptive months of a patient's treatment. This rapid-response financial relief helps families avoid eviction, foreclosure, and bankruptcy, preserving their economic mobility so they can focus entirely on healing.
For more information on the Duke Energy Foundation and its initiatives, visit: https://foundation.duke-energy.com/
To learn more about The Jackson Copeland Foundation, apply for assistance, or join the mission, visit: https://jacksoncopeland.org/
Learn More: https://jacksoncopeland.org/
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