DETROIT, Dec. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- DTE Energy employees and the DTE Energy Foundation raised more than $300,000 to help the hungry during their annual holiday fund-raising drive. DTE Energy employees gave $100,000 during the six-week drive and the Foundation, which for many years has matched employee gifts dollar-for-dollar, today announced it would double its match for an additional $200,000. With hunger becoming a serious and growing problem in many communities, the holiday drive focused on raising funds for regional food banks, in addition to organizations providing those in need with temporary shelter from the cold. The Foundation increased its match in recognition of the toll the economic downturn has had on the families and households DTE Energy serves. Fifty-one nonprofit organizations statewide will benefit from the fund drive, including: -- Salvation Army, multiple locations; will receive $56,321. -- Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS), Detroit; will receive $36,074. -- Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Detroit; will receive $32,651. -- Gleaners Community Food Bank, multiple locations; will receive $27,738. -- St. Martin Lutheran Church, Port Huron; will receive $11,120. -- Forgotten Harvest, Inc., Oak Park; will receive $10,070. -- Macomb Food Program, Clinton Township; will receive $5,570. -- Mel Trotter Ministries, Grand Rapids; will receive $3,545. -- Family Counseling and Shelter Services of Monroe County, Monroe; will receive $2,945. The holiday fund-raising drive was in addition to the company's annual United Way campaign, which recently concluded. DTE Energy employees and retirees pledged $1.6 million to United Way, which was matched by the DTE Energy Foundation with an additional $750,000 for a total of more than $2.3 million. A new partnership with The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan helped make DTE Energy's holiday fund-raising effort a success. The organization provided counsel and developed an easy-to-use online giving site for employee donations. The Community Foundation also will handle distribution of employee and DTE Energy Foundation contributions to the drive's designated charities. The DTE Energy Foundation is the philanthropic arm of DTE Energy, continuing the legacy of community support and involvement of its principal operating subsidiaries, Detroit Edison and MichCon. The Foundation directs its contributions to nonprofit organizations under its "LEAD" guidelines: leadership, education, environment, achievement, development and diversity in the DTE Energy service territory, which includes southeast, western and northern Michigan. These guidelines are extended to include matching gifts to human services organizations during the company's annual holiday gifts program. The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is a permanent community endowment built by gifts from thousands of individuals and organizations committed to the future of southeast Michigan. The Community Foundation works to improve the region's quality of life by connecting those who care with causes that matter. The Community Foundation supports a wide variety of activities benefiting education, arts and culture, health, human services, community development and civic affairs. Since its inception, the Community Foundation has distributed more than $390 million through more than 34,000 grants to nonprofit organizations throughout Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, St. Clair and Livingston counties. For more information, please visit http://www.cfsem.org/. DATASOURCE: DTE Energy CONTACT: Eileen Dixon, +1-313-235-9154, or Len Singer, +1-313-235-8809, both of DTE Energy Web Site: http://www.dteenergy.com/

Copyright