Direct Energy Awards Neighborhood Legal Services Association $2,500 Grant

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

Pittsburgh, PA (August 5, 2013) - On Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 at 9:30 am, Direct Energy will be presenting a $2,500 Reduce Your Use For Good grant to the Neighborhood Legal Services Association (NLSA), a non-profit, public interest law firm that provides civil legal assistance to underprivileged and vulnerable residents of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence Counties.

 

Through the Reduce Your Use For Good grant 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 ReduceYourUseForGood.com and on the Direct Energy Facebook page.

?Direct Energy is committed to harnessing our energy expertise to make a difference in people's lives,? said Rob Comstock, executive vice president and general manager for Direct Energy. ?The Reduce Your Use For Good grant to Neighborhood Legal Services Association will help support a local nonprofit decrease their energy use in order to have more funds to support their mission of offering civil legal services for less fortunate individuals and families, free of charge.?

To apply for the grant, NLSA submitted a short video showcasing their facility and their mission. This is the third Reduce Your Use For Good grant that has been awarded in Western Pennsylvania. Earlier this year, Direct Energy awarded Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley with a $2,500 grant for new energy-efficient lighting in its animal shelter in New Kensington, PA, as well as $2,500 grant to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to assist with its many energy efficiency initiatives.

?Everyone in society deserves equal access to justice. At Neighborhood Legal Services Association, the right to equal justice is at the core of everything we do,? stated Bob Racunas, executive director for NLSA. ?While our social justice mission is to provide top civil legal services for the individuals who need them the most, we are very conscious of environmental justice issues, as well as reducing our energy usage. We are very grateful for the funding of Direct Energy's Reduce Your Use For Good grant program which will allow NLSA to make energy efficiency improvements to our headquarters building as part of our green workplace initiative.?

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.

Direct Energy has already awarded $130,000 to 53 nonprofits. Grant funds can be used for energy-efficient products or services to help nonprofits reduce their energy use. 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 ReduceYourUseForGood.com.

About Neighborhood Legal Services Association
Neighborhood Legal Services Association (NLSA) was established in 1966 as a non-profit, public interest law firm to provide civil legal assistance to poor and vulnerable residents of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence Counties. Staffed by highly qualified lawyers, deeply committed to the practice of poverty law, NLSA attorneys sacrifice higher salaries available to private practitioners and lawyers employed in the public sector in order to provide legal assistance to people who cannot afford a lawyer. www.nlsa.org.

Contact:
Julie Hendry
Direct Energy
1-412-925-6773
Julie.Hendry@directenergy.com