FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2015
Contact: Mike Kanarick
802.735.7962
BED Encourages Community to “Share the Warmth” by Contributing to CVOEO WARMTH Support Program
Leads by Example with $20k to Help Families with Heating Emergencies
Burlington, VT – The Burlington Electric Department (BED) today is encouraging the Burlington community to contribute to the WARMTH Support Program of the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO), leading by example with its own $20,000 gift - up from $12,000 last year - that will help Burlingtonians and Vermonters with heating emergencies this winter. During last year’s 2014-15 heating season, WARMTH served 403 Burlington households with 649 assists, or direct payments to BED to keep the heat on, totaling more than $42,000.
“For 110 years, BED has been in the business of making a difference for Burlington’s energy future and that difference includes sharing the warmth with members of our community who face emergencies,” said Neale Lunderville, BED General Manager. “We appreciate CVOEO’s leadership in creating and growing the WARMTH Program over the last three decades and encourage our customers who are able to lend a hand toward this impactful effort. We are glad to continue our support at an increased level this year for such a worthy program.”
BED will include a WARMTH program brochure in its November customer bills. WARMTH funds are available for emergency situations, when a household faces disconnection of utility services or has exhausted its fuel supply and has been unable to secure sufficient assistance through other support channels. Every dollar contributed by Burlingtonians and other Vermonters to WARMTH goes directly to the utility or fuel supplier of the individual or family in need. WARMTH has contributed more than $4.5 million to nearly 90,000 Vermonters since the program’s inception in 1986. In addition to paying utility bills for those in need, WARMTH provides counseling and essential information to households in an effort to help avoid heating crises and has assisted more than 54,000 households over the past three decades. BED’s $20,000 gift is an administrative support grant that CVOEO will use to compensate the WARMTH Program workers who provide direct service to Burlingtonians and Vermonters. BED has provided similar support since 1986.
“Burlington Electric’s funding meets a need in a unique way that makes the WARMTH Program succeed,” said Jan Demers, CVOEO Executive Director. “We are so fortunate to have this incredible utility’s support. We are especially grateful that BED was able to increase significantly its financial support of WARMTH this year.”
“The Board of Electric Commissioners unanimously supported increasing BED’s contribution to WARMTH,” said Spencer Newman, Chair of the Board of Electric Commissioners. “We are proud to live in a City that walks the walk when it comes to helping our neighbors in need – after all, this kind of community support is what has led Burlington to become one of the most desirable Cities in which to live, work, and raise a family.”
*Please see the following attachments:
- CVOEO WARMTH Support Program brochure
- Photograph
- Front row: BED GM Neale Lunderville presenting $20,000 contribution to CVOEO Executive Director Jan Demers
- Back row: BED customer service representatives Alyssa Morway, Darlene Symons, and Gerrish Craig
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