Direct Energy Awards $7,500 in Grants to Three Nonprofits

Columbus-area nonprofits apply to receive funds for energy-efficient upgrades

Columbus, OH (October 17, 2013) - Direct Energy will be presenting $7,500 in Reduce Your Use For Good Grants to nonprofits DWAVE, Mothers Helping Mothers and Women's City Club of Delaware County on October 18, 2013 at 10:15 a.m. at the Direct Energy office, Fifth Third Center, 21 E. State St., Suite 1950, Columbus, OH 43215.

Through the Reduce Your Use For Good Program, Direct Energy is offering nonprofits up to $100,000 to implement energy-saving changes to their operations, and awards grants in $2,500 increments. Applications are available online at Reduce Your Use for Good and on the Direct Energy Facebook page.

DWAVE promotes equality for Ohio's diverse deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing communities. Mothers Helping Mothers provides refuge, support and guidance for young mothers. And Women's City Club of Delaware County is dedicated to providing a safe, affordable home for single working women of low income, and transitional assistance for a self-supportive future.

?At Direct Energy, we're committed to harnessing our energy expertise to make a difference in people's lives,? said Tom Prisk, commercial director for Direct Energy. ?Reduce Your Use For Good grants like these will help support nonprofits to decrease their energy use in order to have more funds to support their mission.?

To apply for the grant, all three nonprofits submitted a short video showcasing their mission. You can view all videos by visiting Reduce Your Use for Good

In an effort to use social media to drive social good, Direct Energy is leveraging its Facebook community to help award the grants. For every 2,500 new ?likes? Direct Energy receives on their Facebook page, they will award another nonprofit applicant with $2,500 to be used toward reducing their energy use, helping them to continue the good work they do.

In 2012, the program awarded $115,000 in grants to more than 40 organizations in Texas to assist them in updating their energy appliances for new and more efficient ones. To be eligible, organizations must have a current and active Registered Charitable Number in Canada or 501(c)(3) status in the United States, be registered with and be in good standing with the appropriate state registration agency, and be in a Direct Energy service area.

For more information, visit Reduce Your Use for Good

About DWAVE

DWAVE promotes the empowerment of and equality for Ohio??™s diverse Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing communities by offering culturally affirmative advocacy and education, while inspiring community accountability, in response to oppression and relationship and sexual violence.

About Mothers Helping Mothers

Mothers Helping Mothers is a nonprofit organization serving teenage and young adult mothers and their children. Our overall goal is to equip families with necessary tools to succeed in their daily lives, prevent cyclical homelessness and teen pregnancy. We are committed to assisting these mothers with overcoming barriers to economic growth, academic advancement, personal and professional development and life skills. We aspire to be the nation??™s leading community resource center for homeless pregnant teen mothers in needs of safe housing and independent living support. At MHM, mothers become independent while learning to make healthy choices that will positively impact their lives and the lives of their children.

About Women's City Club of Delaware County

The Women's City Club of Delaware is a not-for-profit service organization. We are dedicated to providing a safe, affordable and nurturing home for single working women of low income, and transitional assistance for a self-supportive future.

For further information, contact:

Andrea Romo
Direct Energy
412-334-9510
andrea.romo@directenergy.com