Contact: Priscilla Knight, 703-392-1580, pknight@novec.com
NORTHERN VIRGINIA—The Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative is asking its customer-owners and Washington, D.C., area residents to donate money to its home heating assistance program, Operation Round Up. ORUhelps thousands of disadvantaged people in Northern Virginia pay their heating bills.
As of January 1, 2008, ORU had given $29,000 to six county and social service organizations that provide energy assistance. “With our neighbors’ help, we’re trying to increase that donation to $50,000 for this heating season,” says Donna Snellings, NOVEC’s ORU administrator.
Customers who participate in ORU authorize NOVECto round up their electric bills to the nearest dollar. The additional cents go into the ORU fund. NOVEC absorbs all administration costs. Therefore, 100 percent of all donations go into the fund. NOVEC customers and area residents have contributed more than $400,000 since ORU’s inception in 1997.
People who are not NOVEC customers can contribute by sending checks in any amount, payable to NOVEC Operation Round Up, to PO Box 2710, Manassas, VA 20108.
Snellings says, “Neighbors helping neighbors is what electric cooperatives have been doing for more than 65 year. With the support of NOVEC’s customer-owners, ORU will continue to work with agencies to ensure that needy people in our service territory have heat in winter.”
NOVEC customers may join ORU any time during the year by logging onto www.novec.com/oru12 or calling the NOVEC customer service center at 703-335-0500 or toll-free 1-888-335-0500, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
People who need assistance with their heating bills should contact their county department of social services, or call 211 to be connected to Virginia Human Services, or by visiting http://www.dss.virginia.gov/benefit/ea/index.html.
