Project SHARE Heating Fund Receives $565,000 in Heating Assistance Donations for NYSEG and RG&E Customers

ROCHESTER, NY-February 17, 2017 – NYSEG and RG&E, subsidiaries of AVANGRID, recognize Dominion Transmission and the Avangrid Foundation for their generous support of the companies’ Project SHARE Heating Fund. Dominion Transmission donated $10,000 to HeartShare Human Services of New York, which administers the Project SHARE funds. The Avangrid Foundation donated $400,000 to HeartShare Human Services of New York to support the Project SHARE Fund. The Project SHARE Fund also received $155,000 through contributions by customers and employees of NYSEG and RG&E over the last year.

“We are grateful to Dominion Transmission, the AVANGRID Foundation, our customers, and employees for their support for the Project SHARE Heating Fund. This fund helps families to stay warm and safe with emergency energy assistance when they need it most,” said Mark S. Lynch, president and CEO of NYSEG and RG&E. “We are also grateful for our partnership with HeartShare Human Services of New York, the administrator of the heating fund.”

“Dominion Transmission is proud to continue our support the Project SHARE Heating Fund,” said Stan J. Ossowski, Northern Area Manager for Dominion. “We also want to recognize NYSEG & RGE for creating this important energy assistance program to provide critical support to those most in need.”

The AVANGRID Foundation is a private foundation funded by the AVANGRID companies nationwide, including NYSEG and RG&E. Dominion Transmission is an interstate pipeline company supplying natural gas to parts of the NYSEG and RG&E service areas.

"Families facing a harsh winter and financial difficulties are in dire need of this energy assistance fund. A grant allows a family to stay warm during the cold north country winter," said HeartShare Vice President for Energy Assistance and Community Development Joe Guarinello.

The Project SHARE Heating Fund assists NYSEG and RG&E customers who are facing an energy emergency and have exhausted all other funding options. Active members of the military and veterans who have been honorably or generally discharged from the military receive special consideration for Project SHARE grants.

• In 2016, approximately 2,020 individuals or families benefited from Project SHARE grants: 1,125 NYSEG households received $331,485 in grants.
• 837 RG&E households received $252,980 in grants.
• 59 other suppliers of fuel and heating services to NYSEG and RG&E households received grants totaling $20,650. 

To make a contribution to the fund, NYSEG and RG&E ask employees and customers to consider:

• Automatic Giving – adding a whole dollar amount to future bills.
• Adding exactly $1, $2 or $5 to any NYSEG or RG&E bill payment.

To learn more about the Project SHARE Heating Fund, Automatic Giving and eligibility for grants:

• NYSEG Projectshare
• For RGE Common heating fund Visit RGE.com — Account/Ways To Pay/Help With Bill/ Project Share