Looking Back: 2021-2022 Mid-Year Review

Posted on: April 4, 2022

Dollar Energy Fund is halfway through a successful 2021-2022 program year. Let’s look back at what we have accomplished during the past six months, with the help of our staff, utility partners and supporters.

October

• Dollar Energy Fund earned its fifth consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for our commitment to financial accountability and transparency.
• Dollar Energy Fund celebrated our 30 year partnership anniversary with Pennsylvania American Water and the H2O Help to Others Program.

November

• Dollar Energy Fund hosted its annual Winter Warm Up Request-A-Thon in partnership with iHeartMedia and 3WS Pittsburgh. The event raised $150,492 to provide utility assistance to approximately 425 Pittsburgh households who were struggling to stay warm.
• Dollar Energy Fund was a sponsor and benefiting charity of Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland in Butler, PA and Johnson City, TN. Coupons were distributed to customers to receive $2 off admission and Dollar Energy Fund received a $1 donation for every coupon redeemed. In total, the Shadrack’s campaign raised $28,000 to help families across Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
• Dollar Energy Fund participated in #GiveBigPittsburgh and #ShareOmaha on Giving Tuesday.

December

• Dollar Energy Fund signed contracts with National Fuel Gas Company and Omaha Public Power District for their LIRA and CAP programs.
• The EQT Foundation connected with Dollar Energy Fund again this year to make a $10,000 donation to benefit Pennsylvanians in need.
• The Jack Buncher Foundation supported Dollar Energy Fund with a $60,000 donation to help Pennsylvanians in need.
• The Citizen’s Bank Foundation awarded Dollar Energy Fund with a $53,000 donation towards the Hardship Program and Cool Down for Warmth campaign.

January

• In January, Dollar Energy Fund raised more than $140,000 during its 8th annual Cool Down for Warmth event on Pittsburgh Today Live (KDKA-TV). The amount raised gave assistance to approximately 390 Pittsburgh families who were struggling to afford safe utility service.

February

• In February, Dollar Energy Fund’s 14th annual Warmathon on KDKA Radio raised $203,328, which provided utility assistance grants to 564 additional Pittsburgh-area households.

March

• The Robert Morris University Department of Athletics partnered with Dollar Energy Fund this season to assist families in the Pittsburgh region struggling to afford heat. The “Points for Power” program donated $1 for every point scored by the RMU men’s and women’s basketball teams. The total amount raised was $7,482.
• This year’s virtual Heat the Streets Run & Walk for Warmth in Nebraska raised $151,352 to provide utility assistance to Omaha Public Power and Metropolitan Utilities District customers in need.

Most importantly, Dollar Energy Fund has already distributed 10,899 grants, totaling $2.9 million across the country since October 1, 2021. Since 1983, we have assisted more than 769,000 households by distributing over $232 million in utility assistance nationwide.

With your help, we can continue to provide immediate and direct assistance during our 2021-2022 program year. Your contribution, no matter how big or small, can make an extraordinary impact by ensuring local, limited-income families maintain or restore safe utility service and get on a path to self-sufficiency. If you would like to get involved during this program year, subscribe to our email newsletters to stay up to date on our latest fundraising campaigns. We have more fundraising opportunities coming up this year, including our Pittsburgh Penguins partnership campaigns, and the Golf Classic tentatively scheduled for September 9.

On behalf of the many individuals, seniors, and families we have helped, we thank you for your continued support!