SJI Donates $49,000 to the South Jersey Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy

FOLSOM, NJ, December 12, 2025 – SJI recently presented its Employee Resource Group, the South Jersey Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE-SJC), with a donation check totaling $49,930 from the company’s annual employee giving campaign as part of a Lunch & Learn event held at SJI’s headquarters in Folsom, NJ. 

“We are deeply grateful to our dedicated SJI employees for championing our mission to expand access to higher education in both colleges and technical schools,” said Will Smith, AABE South Jersey Employee Executive Sponsor and Vice President of Executive Succession and Development at SJI. “Their generous contributions will directly fund scholarships that empower students to pursue their academic and career aspirations. This collective commitment reflects the heart of our organization, and we are truly honored by the generosity of our team.”

AABE is a national organization focused on ensuring African Americans and other minorities are able to provide input in the development of energy policy regulations and environmental issues, supporting professional development, and providing scholarships and service to the community. The group is open to all employees of SJI.

The Lunch & Learn event was the kickoff of AABE’s 2026 Scholarship Application Program for students matriculating into college and technical schools who are interested in STEM-related areas of study. 

“AABE works tirelessly to provide students with opportunities that help advance their educational and professional aspirations,” said Lisa Cottman, President of AABE-SJC and Talent Attraction Program Manager at SJI.

“I’m proud of what we continue to accomplish as an organization and look forward to providing our local youth and communities with further support in the coming years,” said Jerry Cephas, Vice President of AABE-SJC and Corporate Insurance Manager at SJI. 

AABE also partnered with Samaritan, Life-Enhancing Care of South Jersey for the third consecutive year, on a community service project to create Clay Keepsakes, gifts that help to memorialize and honor a family’s loved one who recently passed away while receiving care from Samaritan. 

Applications for the AABE National & Regional Scholarship are now open! Interested students can apply by February 15, 2026, using the following link: SOUTH JERSEY - AABE National & Regional Scholarship.

For more information about SJI and its subsidiaries, please visit sjindustries.com.

 

About SJI

South Jersey Industries (SJI), an energy infrastructure holding company based in Folsom, NJ, delivers energy services to customers through two primary subsidiaries SJI Utilities (SJIU) and SJI Energy Enterprises Group. SJIU houses the company’s regulated natural gas utility operations, and aims to deliver safe, reliable and affordable natural gas to more than 735,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers across New Jersey via its South Jersey Gas and Elizabethtown Gas subsidiaries. SJI Energy Enterprises Group, a non-utility subsidiary of SJI, specializes in the ownership, development, construction, and operation of diverse renewable energy projects. These projects include the development of solar, fuel cell, and Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) solutions, with the RNG sourced from a variety of feedstocks including dairy manure, landfill gas, and food waste. With a robust portfolio and pipeline of future projects, SJI Energy Enterprises Group strives to be a national leader in advancing sustainable energy solutions.