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First Student Increases EPA-Awarded Electric School Bus Funding by $200M, Bringing Total to $401M

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New funding from the third round of the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program means 673 electrified buses, after First Student led all contractors in rounds one and two

CINCINNATI, May 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, First Student, the leading school transportation provider in North America, and industry leader in electrification, received $200 million in rebates from the third round of funding of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program. The new funding brings First Student’s total program awards to more than $400 million across the three funding rounds, allowing the company to accelerate its push to provide healthier and safer rides to students through electrification. This round of EPA funding will enable First Student to deploy up to an additional 670 electric school buses in 45 school districts across the U.S. Overall, from all three EPA rounds to date, First Student will be able to deploy more than 1,200 electric school buses.

“First Student is leading the way on school bus electrification and this award supercharges that effort,” said First Student Chief Executive Officer and President John Kenning. “We would like to thank the Environmental Protection Agency for their support of this important priority. America’s students deserve the cleanest, safest rides to and from school, so they arrive at school ready to learn. First Student has the resources, expertise and ground-breaking technology to meet the moment. We are excited to continue building the school bus fleet of the future with the support of the EPA.”

First Student has successfully deployed more than 350 electric buses across North America and provided more than 3 million miles of emissions free operations in pursuit of its commitment to transition 30,000 diesel vehicles to electric by 2035. Today’s EPA investment will accelerate that plan. Scaling the use of these zero-emission vehicles will provide significant and tangible improvements for the environment. Replacing just one diesel school bus with an electric school bus can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54,000 pounds each year. First Student has also been awarded approximately $65 million through other Canadian, federal, state and utility programs to electrify school bus fleets across the country.

“First Student is proud to call the EPA a partner in our school bus electrification efforts,” said First Student Head of Electrification Kevin Matthews. “First Student electric school buses funded by this program are already creating safer and cleaner rides to and from school and these investments means expanding that benefit to even more districts. Our expertise and resources ensure that school districts can put these awards to use right away, turning these rebates into much-needed fleet upgrades.”

The Clean School Bus Program allocates funds for school districts to help cover the cost of replacing fossil fuel school buses with zero-emission vehicles and associated charging infrastructure. Round two was competitively bid grants, while rounds one and three were lottery rebate awards. Today’s award represents the third batch of funding First Student has received through the program. In January 2024, the EPA awarded First Student $140 million, the largest amount awarded among all contractors, to enable First Student to deploy more than 370 new electric school buses in school districts across the United States.

In November 2022, First Student worked with 11 districts to secure EPA grants under the first round of funding. This funding, approximately $60 million, is designed to provide 11 school districts with of a total of 160 electric school buses. In awarding the rebates and grants, the EPA recognized First Student’s ability to bring utilities and municipalities together with school districts in order to build the charging infrastructure and create a seamless experience for schools.

First Student works directly with school districts on their electrification goals, collaborating on the applications to the EPA and in deploying and maintaining the vehicles. First Student has a team of internal expert consultants called First Consulting who works closely to make sure grant applications reflect specific school district needs.

B-ROLL/RESOURCES: Watch a video that showcases First Student’s electric school bus fleet.

About First Student

As a leading school transportation solutions provider in North America, First Student strives to provide the best start and finish to every school day. With a team of highly trained drivers and the industry’s strongest safety record, First Student delivers reliable, quality services, including full-service transportation and management, special-needs transportation, route optimization, and scheduling, maintenance, and charter services with a fleet of about 45,000 buses. For more information, visit firststudentinc.com .

CONTACT
Jen Biddinger
513.362.4600

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SOURCE First Student

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Orderful Raises $15M Growth Round Led by NewRoad Capital Partners to Transform B2B Integration with Modern EDI Solutions

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Orderful secures $15M to expand its modern EDI platform, enabling faster, smarter B2B integrations with AI and self-service solutions.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Orderful, a pioneering company revolutionizing business-to-business (B2B) integration with its industry-leading Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) platform, announced today that it has raised $15 million in a growth round led by NewRoad Capital Partners. The round also saw participation from new investors 9Yards, Flume Ventures, and NFI Ventures, alongside existing investors Andreessen Horowitz and GLP Partners.

“We like to invest in companies with strong domain expertise that are solving big legacy problems and delivering on what they promise to the market. Orderful exceeds expectations in all of these areas.” Gregoire Lehmann, Principal at NewRoad Capital Partners

Orderful is changing the status quo in the B2B integration space by offering a fast, modern EDI software-as-a-service platform that drastically simplifies the way businesses connect and exchange data. Orderful customers connect once to their API platform and can go live with new EDI connections in less than 2 weeks, which is 10x faster than competitors. This year, Orderful launched its Web EDI Fulfillment product, a solution for companies of all sizes to start trading EDI without speaking with a sales representative. Orderful is the first EDI company in the world to provide this product experience.

Orderful is also the first company to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its platform to manage and resolve EDI errors in real-time. The AI-based recommendation engine drastically reduces the time and effort required to go-live and manage trading partners. Hundreds of leading companies, including NFI, Koch Industries, Pepsi Logistics, G-III Apparel Group, Liquid Death, and Continental Mills, are leveraging Orderful’s platform to gain a competitive edge in their respective markets. With its latest funding, Orderful is poised to accelerate growth and further enhance its product offerings.

New Partnership and Strategic Insights

As part of the investment, Gregoire Lehmann, Principal at NewRoad Capital Partners, will join Orderful’s board of directors. Josh Jewett, Operating Partner at NewRoad and former Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Family Dollar and Dollar Tree, will join as a board observer. Their deep expertise in supply chain and retail technology will provide invaluable insights as Orderful continues to scale. “Orderful is fundamentally changing the way companies trade EDI. Their approach to simplifying EDI is a game changer. We like to invest in companies with strong domain expertise that are solving big legacy problems and delivering on what they promise to the market. Orderful exceeds expectations in all of these areas.” said Gregoire Lehmann, Principal at NewRoad Capital Partners.

“Having spent years in the retail industry, I understand the pain points of traditional EDI systems. Orderful’s innovative approach is precisely what the industry needs to move forward. The labor expense, delays, transaction fees, cumbersome interfaces, and poor error handling are all gone with their model. I’m excited to contribute to their journey,” added Josh Jewett, Operating Partner at NewRoad Capital Partners.

“NFI has always been at the forefront of innovation in logistics, and Orderful has been a critical partner in helping us streamline our EDI processes. Their platform has enabled us to be more agile and responsive, giving us a significant competitive advantage,” said Dave Broering, President of Integrated Logistics at NFI.

Looking Ahead

“We are thrilled to partner with NewRoad Capital Partners, whose industry expertise and extensive network will be invaluable as we continue to scale Orderful,” said Erik Kiser, CEO of Orderful. “The enthusiasm and support from our investors, both new and existing, are a testament to the impact Orderful is making in the B2B integration space. We are excited to continue growing at this pace and look forward to the opportunities ahead.” David Ulevitch, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, reflected on Orderful’s journey, “From the beginning, we saw the potential in Orderful’s vision to modernize EDI. Their progress has been incredible, and we’re excited to see how they will continue to innovate and lead in this space.”

Orderful is growing faster than any EDI company in its category, and this capital will enable the company to continue this momentum as it targets more enterprise customers in the retail and supply chain space.

With this new funding, Orderful plans to accelerate product development, expand its global reach, and continue to deliver cutting-edge solutions that empower businesses to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

About Orderful

Orderful is the modern EDI Platform revolutionizing how logistics providers, retailers, manufacturers, and technology companies manage their EDI trading partnerships and transactions in real-time. Its simplified integrations, pre-connected network, and user-friendly self-service approach minimize errors with customers onboarding new partners. Orderful has been recognized as a best-in-class EDI provider by industry leaders like G2 and SourceForge. To learn more, visit https://www.orderful.com/.

Media Contact

Gem Nwanne, Orderful, 1 855-965-1887, gem@orderful.com, https://www.orderful.com/

Twitter, LinkedIn

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/orderful-raises-15m-growth-round-led-by-newroad-capital-partners-to-transform-b2b-integration-with-modern-edi-solutions-302306730.html

SOURCE Orderful

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30 Years After the Passing of Daddy Bruce Randolph, His Legacy of Feeding Families on Thanksgiving Is in Jeopardy Due to Lack of Funding. Epworth Foundation Issues an Urgent Call for Donations

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DENVER, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — With just one week left before the annual Denver Feed-A-Family event in honor of Daddy Bruce Randolph, the Epworth Foundation faces a critical shortfall in funding. To meet its ambitious goal of providing 7,500 Thanksgiving meal baskets, the organization needs to raise $400,000 but is far short of its goal. This significant gap puts thousands of families at risk of going without a meal this holiday season.

This year’s theme, “One Community, One Family,” embodies the foundation’s mission to bring nourishment and unity to those most in need. However, with funding levels far below what’s necessary, the Epworth Foundation urgently appeals to the community for help.

“We are at a crossroads,” said Xiomara Yanique, Program Director at the Epworth Foundation. “Without immediate support, we risk leaving many families without a Thanksgiving meal this year. Every dollar counts, and time is running out.”

The average cost of a meal basket is $55, which includes everything needed for a family meal serving 4-5 people. With current funding, the organization will be able to serve fewer than 1,000 families. The Epworth Foundation calls on local businesses, philanthropists, and community members to step in and help bridge this critical gap. Donations of any size are urgently needed and can be made directly on the foundation’s website.

A Call for Unity from Denver’s Mayor

Denver’s Mayor, Mike Johnston, expressed his concern and support for the initiative: “The Denver Feed-A-Family event has been a vital source of hope and comfort for our city’s most vulnerable families. I urge everyone to contribute. Together, we can ensure no family goes without a meal this Thanksgiving.”

How You Can Help

Donate Today: Visit www.epworthfoundation.org to make a contribution. You can sponsor one or more meal baskets or give any amount to help cover the cost of these essential meal kits.

Participate in Giving Tuesday: Join our community effort to honor Daddy Bruce Randolph’s legacy by supporting the cost of meal baskets for families in need.

Volunteer: There are still opportunities to lend a hand on distribution day, November 23rd.

For more information or to donate, please visit www.epworthfoundation.org.

Contact for Media:
Jackie Perry
Email: socialmedia@epworthfoundation.org
Phone: 904.866.3828

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/30-years-after-the-passing-of-daddy-bruce-randolph-his-legacy-of-feeding-families-on-thanksgiving-is-in-jeopardy-due-to-lack-of-funding–epworth-foundation-issues-an-urgent-call-for-donations-302307350.html

SOURCE The Epworth Foundation

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The Merriest Grinchmas Ever Awaits with Grinch Décor from Gemmy

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Grinch-Inspired Decorations from Airblown® Inflatables to Life-Size Animatronics

DALLAS, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Fans of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! will be delighted with a feast of Grinch decorations to choose from this season. Gemmy’s expansive collection, from amazing Airblown® Inflatables and yard décor to life-size animated characters, is sure to grow hearts three sizes.

Grinch fans will be delighted with Gemmy’s expansive collection of decorations to choose from.

Airblown® Inflatables

Set the scene for a Merry Grinchmas with the Grinch inflatable lineup. Big or small, hanging or arched, Gemmy has you covered:

Craft a custom scene with adorable 4-ft tall characters: Grinch in Ugly Red Sweater and Cindy-Lou Who with gift.Warm hearts and add fun to your display with 6-ft and 6.5-ft options: Max and Grinch with red heart scene and Hanging Grinch with wreath.Welcome guests with whimsical 9-ft and 10-ft styles, perfect for parties and photo ops: sneaky Tiptoeing Grinch with gift sack, Merry Grinchmas Archway, and Grinch and Max with Naughty or Nice Sign.

Musical and Animated Merriment

For a multisensory experience, Grinch enthusiasts will love animated decor that plays “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch”:

Life-Size Animated: Equipped with sound and motion features, these realistic characters are available in two styles—the charming 4-ft Animated Little Grinch and the 6-ft Animated Grinch in a Santa suit.EmoteGlow™: Featuring animated faces that light up and sing, this amazing technology is available in the adorable 6.3-in Kawaii Grinch (in-store only) and the Grinch Musical Light String with eight bulbs.

Indoor/Outdoor Lighting and Decor

Lighting and decor options are fantastic on their own or layered into the mix:

The 4-ft tall 3D Grinch Tinsel Sculpture features the Grinch holding colorful stockings and shines with 35 LED lights.Light up interior or exterior surfaces and walkways with the colorful Whirl-A-Motion™ Grinch Projection and festive Grinch Pathway Stakes.Perfect for indoor locations, battery-operated blow molds are available in two styles: 14-in Grinch and 12-in Max (in-store only).

Find this Grinch collection in-store and online at The Home Depot.

About Gemmy Industries
Gemmy Industries is a leader in the seasonal décor market, bringing festive fun and holiday cheer to homes everywhere. Dedicated to innovation and creative design, Gemmy has elevated industry standards and established recognizable brands like Airblown® Inflatable and LightShow® Lighting. For more information on products and retailers, visit www.gemmy.com. Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-merriest-grinchmas-ever-awaits-with-grinch-decor-from-gemmy-302307351.html

SOURCE Gemmy Industries

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