Utility celebrates birthday month by funding mental health resources for healthcare workers, providing Dr. Oz Show-partnered donation to ICU nurse, hosting employee blood drives

OKLAHOMA CITY (February 4, 2021) — Amidst the ongoing pandemic, healthcare workers have been pushed to continue working safely to care for others around the clock. OG&E parent company, OGE Energy Corp., is celebrating its birthday month of February to honor frontline healthcare heroes.

“We are continually humbled by the opportunities to give back to the communities we serve by meeting the needs of our neighbors, especially during this pandemic,” said Sean Trauschke, Chairman, President and CEO of OGE Energy Corp. and OG&E. “Our healthcare workers have earned the title ‘hero,’ especially throughout the last year. I can think of no better way to mark our organization’s 119^th anniversary than by recognizing their continued, critical efforts.”

OG&E today announced three hospital foundations would receive a combined $75,000 to fund mental health services and initiatives for frontline healthcare workers. The foundations include Mercy Health Foundation Emergency Response Fund, St. Anthony Foundation Saints Urgent Response Fund and INTEGRIS Caregiver Relief Fund. These foundations were chosen because of their shared focus on easing burdens of frontline healthcare workers through their broad network of hospitals that serve the communities, in Oklahoma and Arkansas, where OG&E operates.

“As COVID-19 continues to impact the communities we serve, our health care workers at INTEGRIS Health come to work every day ready to care for their patients and fight for the best possible outcomes in the face of this pandemic,” said INTEGRIS Health President and CEO Timothy Pehrson. “We are grateful for partners like OG&E who continue to rise to the occasion and support our caregivers during an incredibly challenging situation.”

 “The generosity put forth from partners like OG&E has been incredible to witness this past year,” said Joe Hodges, Regional President of SSM Health Oklahoma, benefitting from the St. Anthony Foundation Saints Urgent Response Fund. “The toll COVID-19 has taken on the entire healthcare community is undeniable, and day after day they have risen to the challenge. Workers on the frontlines are encouraged and fortified by the empathy and support from the community – thank you!”

Also today, the utility announced a $25,000 gift to Mercy ICU nurse Tina Irwin, who lost her home to a fire in December 2020. Irwin, who’s been working on the frontlines with COVID-19 patients since April, came home from her 12-hour shift when she saw the devastation of her home. When the Dr. Oz Show reached out to OG&E, the company stepped in to help Irwin reestablish a home and cover educational expenses for her two oldest children.

“All of our co-workers have selflessly served on the front lines of this pandemic for nearly a year,” said Jim Gebhart, community president of Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City. “Tina Irwin is no exception. Our hearts broke when we learned about the tragic loss of her home late last year. We are grateful to the Dr. Oz Show and to our friends and neighbors at OG&E for coming together to help one of our health care heroes and her family through this challenging time. We are also appreciative of the impactful commitment OG&E has pledged, which will support so many of our co-workers in need.”

To round out the month, The Oklahoma Blood Institute will host socially distanced blood drives for OG&E employees at three company facilities on Feb. 25. The drives are timed with OG&E’s 119-year anniversary, and represent the organization’s response to the ongoing blood shortages faced by healthcare facilities statewide. OG&E has worked closely with the Oklahoma Blood Institute to confirm the blood drives will be safely conducted with adherence to COVID-19 precautions, and hopes to set an example for how other organizations can safely resume this important volunteer opportunity.

Since the onset of the pandemic, OG&E and its foundation have given more than $400,000 to the community.  The donations are supporting frontline workers, sustaining local restaurants and powering critical nonprofit organizations operating on the frontlines.

About OG&E

Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of OGE Energy Corp. (NYSE: OGE), is Oklahoma's largest electric utility. For more than a century, we have provided customers in Oklahoma and western Arkansas the safe, reliable electricity needed to power their businesses and homes with the nation's lowest electric rates, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Our employees are committed to generating and delivering electricity, protecting the environment, and providing excellent service to nearly 860,000 customers.  OG&E has 7,081 MW of electric generation capacity fueled by low-sulfur coal, natural gas, wind, and solar. OG&E employees live, work, and volunteer in the communities we serve. For more information about OG&E, visit us at http://www.oge.com or follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ogepower and Twitter: @OGandE.