Direct Energy Awards Medina Creative Housing $2,500 Grant.

CLEVELAND, OH - (May 13, 2013) - Direct Energy will be presenting a $2,500 Reduce Your Use For Good Grant to Medina Creative Housing, a nonprofit that provides affordable housing and quality services for persons with disabilities living in Medina County, on May 15, 2013 at 8:30 a.m. at the Medina Creative Living building, 1120 N. Huntington Street, Medina, Ohio 44256. Medina Creative Housing is the first nonprofit in Ohio to receive this grant.

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 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 Jason Wasserman, commercial director for Direct Energy. ?Reduce Your Use For Good grants like this one for Medina Creative Housing will help support nonprofits to decrease their energy use in order to have more funds to support their mission.?

To apply for the grant, Medina Creative Housing submitted a short video showcasing their facility and their mission.

?Medina Creative Housing is very thankful to have been awarded this grant from Direct Energy,? said Dianne DePasquale-Hagerty, executive director of Medina Creative Housing. ?Through this generous grant, our organization has the opportunity to create more energy efficient housing which will lower our operational costs and allow us to apply needed funds directly to our mission, making the dream of independent living come true for individuals with disabilities.?

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.

Since the program's inception in 2006, Direct Energy has awarded $120,000 to 48 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 Medina Creative Housing

Medina Creative Housing is located in Medina, Ohio. Proudly celebrating 20 Years of Service to the community and providing independence to individuals with developmental and physical disabilities. From offering independent living with supports options which include single family homes to garden style single and double apartment units, individuals with disabilities are living the American Dream - living in a home of their own specifically tailored to meet their special needs. Medina Creative Housing, through its affiliates, offers an array of services including provider supports, life skills training, supportive employment, therapeutic horseback riding and design and installation of handicapped accessible modifications. Medina Creative Housing is committed to helping individuals with disabilities achieve their potential through innovative housing and programs and true integration into the community. For more information about our organization, services or to volunteer, please visit www.medinacreativehousing.com or call 330-591-4434.

Contact:

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

Dianne DePasquale-Hagerty
Executive DirectorMedina Creative Housing
330-591-4434
dianne@medinacreativehousing.com