In the wake of the devastating tornadoes that struck Northwest Arkansas this past Memorial Day weekend, the AEP Foundation donated grants to those whose mission is to serve others. 

Today, the AEP Foundation, at the recommendation of SWEPCO, announced donations of $50,000 to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank and Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA). Both nonprofits had their community giving centers destroyed by the tornado and yet they continued to respond to their neighbors in need. 

SWEPCO’s newly retired External and State Government Affairs Manager Bradley Hardin said AEP Foundation grants like these are the cornerstone of our mission—to be there for our neighbors when it matters most.  

“Despite facing damage to their own facilities on May 26, local nonprofit organizations Northwest Arkansas Food Bank and Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) showed extraordinary resilience and dedication, continuing to aid others in need,” explained Hardin. “To bolster these commendable efforts, the AEP Foundation has provided a total of $50,000 in donations to these key organizations."  

Hardin retired July 1, following a 43-year career with SWEPCO. He says it was important to him to see this donation through before settling into this new chapter in his life. 

The Northwest Arkansas Food Bank received $40,000 from the AEP Foundation. This funding is aimed to help address the increased demand for food following the devastating storms, which was made increasingly difficult after their Feed Rogers satellite distribution pantry was closed due to tornado damage. That location, which is located directly in the tornado’s path, is expected to reopen in mid-July. 

“After the tornado, there were several organizations that stepped up to meet our neighbor’s immediate needs. The Food Bank continued to provide food to our 110+ agency partners, who in turn served our neighbors directly, without missing a beat. As time goes on and people are able to return to their homes, the Food Bank will still be here serving their needs by providing much needed food to help restock their pantries and refrigerators,” said Julie Damer, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. “We appreciate the support of the community and SWEPCO for realizing that the need for food assistance is not going to be a short problem, but a need that will stretch into the coming weeks, months, and even years.”  

Sheep Dog Impact Assistance’s headquarters in Rogers also took a direct hit by the tornado, but still deployed volunteers into the devastated areas of Northwest Arkansas. The AEP Foundation granted $10,000 to aid in their efforts to clear debris and assist with local recovery initiatives.  

“Having a natural disaster in your backyard is very tough because there's a lot of emotions that are going through. You know, you're worried about your own house, you're worried about your own family. But we're also Sheep Dog and the community is who we want to help. We immediately are thinking about getting out and making sure our community is safe,” said John Parker, Marketing Manager for Sheep Dog Impact Assistance. “Partnerships like this with the AEP Foundation and SWEPCO are the reason that we're able to do what we do, and it's inspiring to see that others want to continue to help us continue our mission.”    

SWEPCO successfully restored power to 19,000 customers following the Memorial Day weekend storms. The National Weather Service confirmed seven tornadoes touched down in Northwest Arkansas on May 26. The tornado that churned over Rogers was rated an EF2 and had a path length of 7.4 miles. The twister was reported to be more than 1.7 miles wide, the second largest in Arkansas history. The storm caused extreme damage across Northwest Arkansas, creating more than 750 unique repair locations for SWEPCO. In response, more than 700 lineworkers from SWEPCO, our sister utility companies AEP Texas and Public Service Company of Oklahoma, as well as contracted crews from across the country were part of a strategic and mighty mobilization effort.  

“During times of crisis, it is not just our responsibility but our privilege to step up and support the communities we serve,” said Shanda Hunter, SWEPCO Corporate Communications. “Our commitment extends beyond providing services; it's about ensuring that every member of our community feels supported and empowered, especially when they are most vulnerable.”