The EDP Foundation has presented in Madrid the 23 projects chosen by the EDP Solidary 2018 program, that will distribute EUR 600 000, within its global budget of EUR 4 million, in order to carry out several suggestions for social improvement.

The presentation act of the projects has taken place in the Auditorium Rafael del Pino, in an event attended by the president of the EDP Foundation, Manuel Menéndez; the president of EDP’s Council of Supervision, Luis Amado; the CEO of EDP Spain, Rui Teixeira; and the CEO of EDP Renováveis, João Manso neto, together with representatives of the 23 chosen associations.

The initiative of EDP Solidary has celebrated in 2018 its fourth edition and has consolidated as one of the programs with the greatest projection within the EDP Foundation, as, since its first edition, it has notably increased the assigned budget and the number of chosen projects. It has gone from choosing 11 projects in 2015, with an initial amount of EUR 344 000, to approving and starting 23 projects in 2018, whose execution will take place at a national level in the year 2019, with a total allocation of EUR 600 000. This number represents an increase of economic aids by 74 % since the beginning of EDP Solidary.

In his speech during the ceremony’s opening, the president of the EDP Foundation, Manuel Menéndez, has highlighted the positive impact of this “innovative project to support social transformation”. In his opinion, EDP Solidary “responds to the fundamental goal of out Foundation, that is non other than the improvement of the life quality of people and the integration of the least favored.” “We are committed with the local communities to promote the sustainable development of society and this is a clear example of this commitment” he assured.

Increase of the number of presented proposals

The commitment of the EDP Foundation with this program has been held back due to the interest of the associations. During the deadline of the proposals’ presentations, open during the whole month of March, 89 potential projects were registered, compared to the 76 from last year. After an evaluation process, 23 projects were selected, 10 out of which are in Asturias, 10 in Madrid, and one in the Basque Country, Cantabria and Aragon, respectively.

The selection committee of the projects was formed by managers of different areas of the EDP Group, together with the representatives of the collaborative companies. The execution of the projects will be supervised by managers, who are EDP’s volunteers, and it is expected that the chosen proposals will be benefiting almost 23 000 people.

EDP Solidary 2019 call

The president of the EDP Foundation, Manuel Menéndez, who presented the strategy agenda of the EDP Foundation for the years 2019-2021, announced the call of EDP Solidary 2019, with an aid allocation of EUR 600 000, which application deadline is available from March 1 till 31.

As a general norm, the presented proposals should be connected with the most urgent social needs, like the support to socially disadvantaged people, the integration of communities in risk of social exclusion and the promotion of employment and entrepreneurs.

EDP Foundation Academy

Lastly, Menéndez announced the launching of the EDP Foundation Academy, a program aimed to beneficiary entities of EDP Solidary in all its editions, that aim to contribute to reinforce the organization capacities of the collaborative entities to reinforce its social impact.

In order to do so, the EDP Foundation Academy will combine the intensive training with mentoring sessions in a program divided in three stages, that will reach its end the following month of July.

Complete list of associations chosen by EDP Solidary 2018:

Asturias:

• Una ciudad para todos, with the project “Viviendas integradas, personas integradas”.
• ES Retina Asturias, with the project “CapAAPcítate. Formación de nuevas tecnologías accesibles para personas con baja visión y discapacidad visual”.
• ASPACE Asturias, with the project “Ampliación del centro residencial Aspace Asturias”.
• Asociación de Amigos contra la Droga, with the project “Programa de tratamiento para personas con problemas de bebida –PPB- en régimen de centro de día”.
• Fundación C.E.S.P.A, Proyecto Hombre de Asturias Evaluar, with the project “Apoyo a la inserción laboral de personas adictas en rehabilitación”.
• Asociación Parkinson Asturias, with the project “Escuela de Parkinson Asturias”.
• Fundación Siloé, with the project “Aula de Música de la Fundación Siloé”.
• Asociación Asturiana de Esclerosis Múltiple, with the project “Rehabilitación virtual. Nuevos horizontes para la autonomía en el Esclerosis Múltiple”.
• Identidad Para Ellos y Ellas, with the project “Dédalo”.
• Asociación Cuentayá, with the project “SALTO. Acompañamiento socioeducativo para la Transición a la Vida Adulta”.

Madrid

• Asociación madrileña de Inserción Social Aurrera, with the project “EDP recupera tu espacio intercultural”.
• AFANIAS, A. Pro Personas Discapacidad Intelectual, with the project “Entre nosotras”.
• SERCADE, with the project “Programa educativo para la integración de la migración ‘Casa Común’”.
• Asociación Cultural la Kalle, with the project “La FABLAB-TEKA Laboratorio de Fabricación Digital”.
• Fundación Síndrome de Down de Madrid, with the Project “Emprendimiento Medio Ambiental Down Madrid”.
• Asociación Asperger Madrid, with the project “Intervención en contextos naturales para personas con síndrome de Asperger y/o TEA”.
• Apostólicas CJ – Comunidad de Obras Sociales, with the project “Caja de herramientas. Mírame soy visible. Programa de concienciación e innovación en la detección y atención de violencia de género en mujeres mayores de 65 en municipios de la Comunidad de Madrid”.
• Fundación Ayuda en Acción, with the project “STEPS: pasos para la inclusión de la infancia vulnerable”.
• Fundación Tomillo, with the project “Renegación urbana: propuesta sostenible de empleo”.
• Confraternidad Cancelaria de España (CONCAES), with the project “Programa de responsabilización del delito y reparación del daño en sistema penintenciario”.

Aragón

• Asociación Católica Internacional Servicios Juventud, with the project “In Via Digital”.

País Vasco

• Cáritas Diocesana de Bilbao, with the project “HERRIZ-HERRI (pueblo a pueblo)”.

Andalucía

• Religiosas de Jesús-María, with the project “Invertir en la primera infancia es invertir en el futuro”.