February 26, 2016—For the second year in a row, GoodWorks Insurance pledged to donate more than $10,000 to Connecticut’s Operation Fuel energy fund. All total, after additionally matching the $2,650 donation made by the Connecticut Energy Marketers Association (CEMA), GoodWorks donated $12,650.
Operation Fuel is a private, non-profit program that provides emergency help with energy or utility bills for people who are not eligible for LIHEAP assistance. Connecticut’s legislature passed a law requiring all of the state’s gas and electric utilities with at least 75,000 customers to facilitate the collection of donations for Operation Fuel. In most instances, eligible families have incomes at 151 – 200 percent of federal poverty levels.
GoodWork’s $12,650 donation will be used to help more than 30 families in Connecticut. Patricia Wrice, executive director of the fuel fund, stated that “the generous support from GoodWorks Insurance and CEMA shows that we are all part of the Operation. Without the support of community, Operation Fuel could not do the work we do.”
In other news related to Operation Fuel, Wrice announced she is set to retire June 30 after guiding the organization to much success and growth in her 18 years as the fuel fund’s executive director. When she first began, Wrice was the only full-time employee of a program that operated just during the winter heating season. At that time, Operation Fuel was able to award $500,000 in grants. As of the most current fiscal year, Operation Fuel now awards $3.6 million in grants to low-income households through its more than 100 fuel banks around the state—year-round.
“We are very grateful to Pat for the leadership that she has provided to Operation Fuel over the past 18 years,” said Nancy Bulkeley, chairperson of Operation Fuel’s board of directors, “her guidance has helped the agency to grow tremendously and to become what it is today.”
Operation Fuel is conducting a search for the next executive director and expects to make an announcement by late June.
Sources: LIHEAP Clearinghouse, Press Releases
