|
Employees and community volunteers throughout the Entergy service area have teamed up to weatherize the homes of their elderly, handicapped, and low-income neighbors. Entergy's nonprofit agency partners vary from faith-based organizations, civic groups, and government agencies.
Volunteers give their time, energy, and resources to help improve housing, reduce utility costs and conserve energy in their hometowns. In addition, Entergy provides training and information to customers, along with educational materials, workshops, and presentations.
- The Texas Entergy Assist low-income weatherization program has proven to be one of the most successful utility-sponsored weatherization programs in the Lone Star State.
Thanks to a great working partnership with the Texas
- Department of Housing and Community Affairs and local jurisdictional subgrantees, the entire $900,000 weatherization budget was used for the third year in a row.
- In the last year, Entergy has implemented a pilot weatherization program in the northern part of Louisiana. Working with the faith-based community, retirees, and nonprofit groups, volunteer teams successfully weatherized 80 homes. In addition, retirees initiated their own programs to address the needs of low-income housing south of the Monroe area. Over the summer, Entergy Louisiana offered employees an opportunity to apply for five $1,000 grants through its Low-Income Weatherization Partnership Program to weatherize homes.
- Through a partnership with local churches and community organizations, Entergy Arkansas employees and others were trained in weatherization techniques, resuting in the creation of a statewide database of trained advocates. They have weatherized 40 homes during the past year, and more are scheduled for this fall. Entergy Arkansas also is launching a pilot program that teaches weatherization and conservation skills to single-parent homeowners in the welfare-to-work program.
- Entergy New Orleans financed a weatherization demonstration to show customers who live in older homes how much money it can save. A project team of employees executed a pilot program to weatherize eight traditional single-story, wood-framed homes and two small commercial businesses. Additionally, conservation tips were distributed through brochures at local agencies, conservation coloring and activity sheets for primary school students, and conservation lesson plans for elementary, middle, and high school students.
- Entergy Mississippi employees partnered with community action agencies, faith-based organizations, and other local organizations to weatherize selected homes throughout the service territory. Entergy participates with its partners by purchasing materials for low-income agencies and through the volunteer efforts of its employees. The company's overall goal is to weatherize 100 homes by the end of the year.
Mary Wagoner is a business writer in Little Rock, AR. |
