JACKSON, Mich., April 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CMS Energy is making a significant commitment of $175,000 to support early childhood education in its Jackson hometown. The commitment underscores the company's ongoing intent to strengthen the social fabric in the communities in which it serves, as well as help develop future well-prepared employees for itself and other Michigan companies. CMS Energy's President and Chief Executive Officer David Joos announced the commitment recently at the Great Start Collaborative of Jackson County's first annual legislative breakfast held at the Ella Sharp Museum of Art and History. "The most important thing we can do for the children and young people of our community, in addition to making sure they grow up in a safe, caring environment, is to get them ready to learn. Education is the key to their long-term success," said Joos. "We are actively seeking partners in the Jackson business community and other organizations for this vital effort. We will also encourage our 2,000 employees who work in our facilities in Jackson County to consider volunteer opportunities supporting these initiatives," noted Joos. "While financial help is important, it is the personal commitment of volunteer time by our officers and employees, and many others in the community, which will make a difference in the lives of children." Following extensive research in the areas of greatest need by the Great Start Collaborative, CMS Energy's support for early childhood education in Jackson involves three key areas: child care, literacy and mentoring. CMS Energy will fund a pilot Child Care Scholarship Program to benefit ten students who are working at least part-time and attending a local college or university. This responds to the Great Start Collaborative's strategic planning effort that found a sharp decline in the availability of child care scholarships for individuals pursuing higher education. To strengthen early childhood literacy programs, CMS Energy will help launch an Imagination Library that will provide a free book each month for every child under age five throughout Jackson County. This supports a key Great Start finding that childhood literacy plays a fundamental role in determining whether a child enters kindergarten ready to learn. On mentoring, CMS Energy will be partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Jackson County to support the Bigs in School Program. The company will be encouraging employees and retirees to volunteer one hour a week during the school year to spend time with a child in need of a positive role model. CMS Energy will be sponsoring four site-based programs at locations near its Jackson facilities. Those locations are: McCulloch Academy of Technology and Science; Parnall Elementary; Northwest Elementary; and Martin Luther King Center. "We are very excited that CMS Energy is making such a substantial commitment to the children of Jackson County. It is my hope that this will be a call to action for others in the community to invest in the future success and economic prosperity of Jackson County by supporting early childhood initiatives," said Mary Cunningham-DeLuca, Great Start Collaborative Co-Chairperson. The Jackson County Great Start Collaborative (JCGSC) is the decision making body for Michigan's Great Start system at the local level. Convened by the Jackson County Intermediate School District, the JCGSC's executive committee represents: parents, business leaders, faith based leaders, health care professionals, child care providers, preschool educators, family court, and directors of community agencies. The general membership of the collaborative represents over 40 agencies and programs that provide services to young families in Jackson County. CMS Energy is a Michigan-based company that has as its primary business operations an electric and natural gas utility, natural gas pipeline systems, and independent power generation. DATASOURCE: CMS Energy CONTACT: Media only: Dan Bishop, +1-517-788-2395, or Jeff Holyfield, +1-517-788-2394, both of CMS Energy Web site: http://www.cmsenergy.com/

Copyright