VAN WERT, OHIO …Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation today announced several “Powering Communities Grants” totaling $35,000 to support local community organizations in the Van Wert area.  The donations will be used to support various programs that positively affect the lives of citizens throughout the region. 

Building on Eaton’s tradition of corporate citizenship, the company’s “Powering Communities Grants” help improve the quality of life in communities where Eaton employees live and work.  In 2008, the Eaton Charitable Fund donated almost $8 million to various charitable organizations worldwide, an increase of 14 percent over 2007.

"Eaton is proud to support these organizations that provide a variety of services and educational opportunities for senior citizens and students in our region," said Carey Welker, plant manager, Eaton's Van Wert facility. "We continue to encourage community involvement and believe that doing so creates healthy, sustainable communities and business facilities."

Funding recipients include:

• Van Wert County Council on Aging - $25,000 to underwrite the cost of a new minivan to provide transportation for senior citizens who continue to live independently in their own homes.
• Junior Achievement - $8,000 to support business education for 1,600 students in 76 classrooms in Van Wert County.
• Wassenberg Art Center - $2,000 to offset registration costs for their summer and winter art camps and workshops, benefiting 100 students in grades one through six. 

The Eaton facility in Van Wert, part of the company's Hydraulics business, employs approximately 850 people who manufacture hoses and fittings that are used primarily in the agricultural and industrial industries.

Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with 2008 sales of $15.4 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 70,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries.