Direct Energy Awards Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank $2,500 Grant

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

Pittsburgh, PA (June 4, 2013) - Direct Energy will be presenting a $2,500 Reduce Your Use For Good Grant to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, a nonprofit organization that collects and distributes food through a 380+ member network in 11 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, June 11th at 11:00 am, Direct Energy will be presenting the nonprofit with its grant, as well as a donation of nonperishable food items collected from employees of Direct Energy's Pittsburgh office.

 

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.

?At Direct Energy, we're committed to harnessing our energy expertise to make a difference in people's lives,? said Sayed Khoja, commercial director for Direct Energy. ?Reduce Your Use For Good grants like this one for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank will help support nonprofits in decreasing their energy use in order to have more funds to support their mission.?

To apply for the grant, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank submitted a short video showcasing their facility and their mission. This is the second 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.

?The Food Bank was the first LEED-certified building in Allegheny County, and the first LEED food bank in the nation, so we have always been energy conscious,? said Lisa Scales, CEO of the Food Bank. ?Direct Energy's incentive grant inspires us to strive for more energy savings. We're proud to be recognized for these efforts, and grateful for the grant that will indeed help the Food Bank provide more food to struggling families.?

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 the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that collects and distributes food through a 400+ member network in 11 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. Through food solicitation, fund raising, special events and community partnerships, the Food Bank gathers food at its 94,000 square foot warehouse in Duquesne, PA. Through outlets such as soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, after school programs, senior high rises, MH-MR drop-in centers, neighborhood food assistance agencies, emergency or disaster-related feeding sites, regional food banks, Meals on Wheels, community centers and special programs, the Food Bank currently distributes around 27 million pounds of food per year. Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is a member of Feeding America. For learn more, volunteer or donate, visit: www.pittsburghfoodbank.org

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