American Water: what they're doing and saying

Alright, let's get this straight. New Jersey American Water, bless their hearts, donated $25,000 to food banks and collected a thousand pounds of food. Cute. Real cute.

But are we really supposed to applaud this?

The Hunger Games: Jersey Edition

Nearly 1.1 million New Jerseyans are food insecure. That's a 65% jump since 2020. Let those numbers sink in. $25,000 is a drop in the damn bucket. It's like putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound and expecting it to heal.

Kimberly Schalek Downes, VP of Something-or-other at New Jersey American Water, is "proud" to partner with food banks. Of course she is. It's fantastic PR. Look at us, we care! We're not just a soulless corporation sucking up profits; we actually give a damn!

Give me a break.

And the employees are "enthusiastic" about giving back? I'm sure they are. It's probably mandatory volunteerism disguised as a feel-good initiative. Bet they get a pizza party for their hard work. Maybe two.

Iowa American Water is warning customers about utility scams. Oh, how noble. They care about the safety of their customers, according to Tony Loete, some VP guy. Well, offcourse they do. Can’t have people getting scammed and then not being able to pay their water bills, can we? More information on this can be found in Iowa American Water issues warning, offers tips to avoid scams - Quad Cities Business Journal.

Here's the thing: these companies are in the business of providing a basic human necessity. Water. Clean, safe water. That's their job. Not patting themselves on the back for doing the bare minimum to look like decent human beings.

Smoke and (Not Enough) Water

They broke ground on a new operations center and launched some training program at Essex County College. Big whoop. It's all part of the same song and dance. "Look at us, we're investing in the community! We're creating jobs! We're training the next generation!"

It's all carefully crafted to distract from the fact that they're a giant, faceless corporation. A subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), no less. They answer to shareholders, not to the people of New Jersey.

And the Community Advancement Grant? Another $25,000 split between ten organizations. I'm not saying these organizations don't deserve it, but let's be real. It's chump change.

It's like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Sure, it's impressive for a second, but then you realize it's just a trick. And the rabbit is probably terrified.

I mean, what do they want, a medal?

But wait, maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe they genuinely care. Maybe they're doing the best they can. Then again, maybe I'm naive. Nah.

The Bottom Line?

They tell customers that employees will never collect money or credit card info in the field. That's great. What about the bills themselves? Are those gonna get any cheaper?

It's all a carefully constructed facade. A Potemkin village designed to hide the ugly truth: that corporations like New Jersey American Water are more interested in profits than people.

And we're supposed to be grateful?

More Like Corporate Greenwashing

It's not about actually solving the problem of food insecurity or protecting people from scams. It's about looking good while doing it. It's about polishing their image and keeping the stock price up. Let's be real, it ain't about anything else.