NOVEC Customers Help the Needy Pay Home Heating Bills

Contact: Priscilla Knight, 703-392-1580, pknight@novec.com

MANASSAS, VA —The Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative is asking customer-owners to help local needy families heat their homes by authorizing NOVEC to round up their monthly electric bills to the next dollar. For example, if the bill is $69.54, NOVEC will round it up to $70 and put the extra 46¢ in the Operation Round Up fund.

Customers who sign up to participate by December 3 will be entered into a drawing for VISA gift card prizes.

"NOVEC and ORU participants believe that small change changes lives," says Donna Snellings, NOVEC's community liaison.  "More and more area residents need heating assistance. That's why we're urging all customer-members to participate in ORU to help less fortunate neighbors stay warm this winter."

During the 2006-2007 winter season, Operation Round Up provided approximately $48,000 to more than 600 needy families.  NOVEC customers-owners have contributed more than $400,000 since the program's inception in 1997.  Because NOVEC absorbs all administration costs, 100 percent of all donations go into the fund. 

Operation Round Up sends donations to six organizations in five counties:

• The Salvation Army, Loudoun
• The Salvation Army, Fairfax
• Action in Community through Service (ACTS), Prince William
• Securing Emergency Resources through Volunteer Efforts, Inc. (SERVE),   Prince William
• SERVE, Inc., Stafford
• Fauquier Family Shelter Services, Fauquier

These organizations distribute the donations to disadvantaged people to pay their heating bills.

People who need assistance should contact the Virginia Department of Social Services at or log onto.www.dss.state.va.us/benefit/ea/fuel/index.html.

NOVEC customers may join ORU by logging onto www.novec.com/oru12 or calling the NOVEC customer service center, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., 703-335-0500, or toll-free 1-888-335-0500.

NOVEC accepts additional donations from customers and people who live outside the Cooperative's service territory.  Checks payable to NOVEC Operation Round Up should be mailed to P.O. Box 2710 Manassas, VA 20108.