ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 19, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) \u2014 The Duke Energy Foundation announced it has awarded a $10,000 grant to The Jackson Copeland Foundation to help ensure families can afford essential living expenses following a blood cancer diagnosis. The grant is part of a larger commitment from Duke Energy Florida and its Foundation to support the vitality of the communities the company serves.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one facing a blood cancer diagnosis should have to endure additional stress from the costs or logistics associated with treatment,\u201d said Duke Energy Florida state president Melissa Seixas. \u201cThe Jackson Copeland Foundation is doing so much to help alleviate that burden for so many families here in our area. It\u2019s an honor to support their important work.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA leukemia diagnosis shouldn\u2019t mean a family loses their home while fighting for their life,\u201d said Jeff Copeland, Founder & CEO of The Jackson Copeland Foundation. \u201cThis generous grant from the Duke Energy Foundation allows us to tackle the affordability crisis of blood cancer head-on, ensuring patients can secure temporary lodging and travel to life-saving treatments without facing financial ruin. They should be focused on the fight of their lives, not finances or foreclosure. This partnership ensures nobody fights this battle alone\u2014Jackson would go, and so are we.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are only three National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers in Florida, so hundreds of Florida blood cancer patients must travel to receive treatment each year. Patients receiving a life-saving bone marrow or stem cell transplant, in particular, must secure short-term lodging for up to 100 days during treatment and recovery, which creates a massive affordability crisis for most families.<\/p>\n
The $10,000 grant will be used to fund \u201cbridge grants\u201d to low- and moderate-income families within Duke Energy\u2019s Florida service footprint who are battling blood cancer. This grant directly addresses those staggering logistical and financial challenges. By covering critical non-medical living expenses\u2014such as primary housing maintenance (rent\/mortgage), temporary medical lodging, and transportation costs\u2014the funds ensure the affordability of basic needs during the most disruptive months of a patient\u2019s treatment. This rapid-response financial relief helps families avoid eviction, foreclosure, and bankruptcy, preserving their economic mobility so they can focus entirely on healing.<\/p>\n
For more information on the Duke Energy Foundation and its initiatives, visit: https:\/\/foundation.duke-energy.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n To learn more about The Jackson Copeland Foundation, apply for assistance, or join the mission, visit: https:\/\/jacksoncopeland.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n \n Sign up for our Daily Headlines newsletter \u2014 delivered to your inbox every morning at 7 a.m.\n <\/p>\n Thanks! You\u2019re all set.<\/p>\n Watch your inbox for Daily Headlines.<\/p>\n NEWS SOURCE: The Jackson Copeland Foundation Inc.<\/p>\n Keywords: Health and Medical, Florida Non-Profit, Cancer Treatment, Cancer Research, The Jackson Copeland Foundation, Inc., The Duke Energy Foundation, leukemia diagnosis, CEO Jeff Copeland,, ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.<\/p>\n This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (The Jackson Copeland Foundation Inc.) who is solely responsible for its accuracy, by Send2Press\u00ae Newswire<\/a>. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P135590 APDF15TBLLI<\/p>\n