American Water, the nation’s largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility company, held a companywide employee volunteer event in September titled AmerICANs in Action! Month of Service. More than 900 American Water employees participated in 75 different community volunteer projects representing American Water operations in 11 states and four market-based businesses in the U.S. and Canada.

American Water launched a formal Corporate Responsibility program in 2009, and AmerICANs in Action!, which is one initiative of the program, aims to continue the company’s efforts to create a lasting, positive impact in the communities the company serves. AmerICANs in Action! encourages teams of employees to get out of the office and volunteer in the communities where they live and work. In just its second year, the results from this year’s event significantly surpassed last year’s participation.

Employees demonstrated a diverse range of skills through projects that included the Great Mississippi River Cleanup in Alton, Ill., a trail cleanup at the Cardinal Greenway Trails in Indiana, serving lunches to the poor and hungry in New Jersey, a coastal cleanup in California, sorting and packing food for local pantries and homeless shelters in Missouri and collecting school supply items for those less fortunate in Virginia. Some volunteered at animal shelters, while others teamed up with their local Habitat for Humanity or United Way chapters.

“American Water employees truly stepped up and helped their neighbors throughout the country,” says corporate responsibility manager Debra Vernon. “It gave them the chance to strengthen relationships with co-workers and combine efforts to help a community organization with limited resources accomplish the critical services it provides in our communities. This level of involvement is really a personal investment in the communities where our employees work, live and play.”

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in more than 30 states and parts of Canada. For more information, visit www.amwater.com.