Friday, August 14, 2009
Appalachian increases assistance
Have you heard?
JoAnne Poindexter
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Appalachian Power Co. has increased its contribution to two programs it operates to help low-income residents with high electric bills.
The utility company is increasing its donation to the Neighbor-to-Neighbor for Virginia and Tennessee customers and the West Virginia Utility Assistance Program from $210,000 to $1.02 million.
The utility started the electric assistance programs 25 years ago, using contributions from customers and the company to help low-income customers pay their bills.
Local social services departments get money from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Low Income Heating Energy Assistance Program and other funding sources to distribute to families needing help with utility bills.
During the 2008-09 heating season, Appalachian gave $100,000 each for Virginia and West Virginia and $10,000 for Tennessee. The 2009-10 contribution will be $500,000 each for Virginia and West Virginia and $25,000 for Tennessee.
Dana Waldo, Appalachian president and chief operating officer, said in a e-mail news release that the company and stockholders decided to increase contributions to the assistance programs because of the economic conditions and the increasing costs associated with energy.
Waldo's release said contributions from customers are critical to the assistance programs.
The Neighbor-to-Neighbor program accepts donations November through February and the West Virginia program accepts donations year-round.
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The Roanoke Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross has received $1,000 to assist residents who have been displaced because of a disaster.
The money, in the form of a grant from the Katherine Nelson Fishburn Foundation Fund of the Foundation for Roanoke Valley, will provide supplies, food, clothing and safe shelter for disaster victims.
The Red Cross responds to nearly 100 residential fires a year and provides free assistance to clients.
The chapter also will use a $1,000 grant from the Hollins Rotary Club for its Learn-to-Swim program, which trains children and adults how to be prepared in, on and around water. Nearly 1,100 participants benefited from the Learn-to-Swim program this year.
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James Breakell has been named regional chairman for the Clean Valley Council's Oct. 3 Fall Waterway Cleanup.
The event is part of the 2009 International Coastal Cleanup in Virginia.
A member of the Clean Valley board of directors, Breakell is director of sales for Breakell Inc.
Roanoke Valley rivers and streams feed coastal waters and as a bistate watershed feeds two areas -- Botetourt County's James River goes to the Chesapeake Bay, while the waters in the Roanoke River immediate region go to the Albemarle Sound in North Carolina.
Last year the International Coastal campaign drew 400,000 volunteers and bagged more than 6.8 million pounds of trash in 104 countries and in 42 U.S. states. Roanoke Valley volunteers numbered 926.
To participate in the Roanoke Valley cleanup, call the Clean Valley Council at 345-5523 or by visiting www.cleanvalley.org. The registration deadline is Sept. 11. Cleanup supplies will be provided.
