Entergy Mississippi, Low-Income Advocates Tackle Poverty at 10th Annual Summit
Contact: WEEK OF JUNE 22, 2009
Mara Hartmann
601-969-2520 (office)
601-594-9042 (cell)
mhartma@entergy.com
Entergy Mississippi, Low-Income Advocates Tackle Poverty at 10th Annual Summit
Stimulus funding an opportunity to change poverty situation in state
Jackson, Miss. – More than 200 low-income champs from across the state are in Jackson this week to tackle challenges facing Mississippi’s poorest residents.
The advocates are attending the 2009 Annual Partnership Conference sponsored by Mississippi Association of Community Action Agencies and Entergy Mississippi, Inc.
The conference runs June 23-25 at the Jackson Marriott. The opening session is a forum on poverty.
“Chief among the topics we’ll target is ‘How can the federal economic stimulus funding change the poverty situation in Mississippi?’”, said Liz Brister, manager of external affairs for Entergy Mississippi, Inc. “The causes of poverty can be defeated when we all get involved and focused on solving the problem. That’s what Entergy and our low-income partners are committed to doing.”
Mississippi has received about half of a $50 million appropriation from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to weatherize low-income housing this year. The state also received a record $43 million in LIHEAP dollars to help Mississippi families pay their utility bills. LIHEAP stands for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
“Research has shown that financial and weatherization assistance for low-income and working poor people creates jobs and stimulates economic development,” said Willie Martin, MACAA executive director. “This investment in our state will save money for hardworking families, elderly and disabled Mississippians, and others who desperately need help in these trying times.”
This is the tenth year of the Summit, created by Entergy in 1999 as a forum for low-income experts and advocates to identify options for helping the poor. Almost one-quarter of all households served by Entergy have incomes below the poverty level. Over the past 10 years, Entergy has mounted an intensive campaign to improve the lives of these customers. Major initiatives include:
• A significant increase of LIHEAP funds from $16 million to $43 million last year due in part to the company’s advocacy efforts. Entergy Mississippi has lobbied extensively for LIHEAP funding for warm weather states over the past decade.
• Establishment of the Power to Care fund administered by The Salvation Army to provide bill payment assistance to the elderly and disabled. Entergy Mississippi’s employers and customers donate to the fund and company shareholders match contributions dollar-for-dollar up to $500,000. In 2008, more than 5,000 families were assisted with Power to Care funds.
• Entergy grants to nonprofit organizations totaled $1.1 million last year and supported 515 programs. Entergy employees volunteered thousands of hours of their time to support community-building efforts.
A low-income progress report will be given during the conference and can be accessed at http://tinyurl.com/nk6j2c .
“From last summer’s high natural gas prices through the current economic downturn, every day brings another example of why communities must work together to address the difficult issues so many of our fellow Mississippians face,” said Gloria Johnson, director of customer service for Entergy Mississippi, Inc. “We’ve made progress these past 10 years, but now is the time to step-up—not stop—our efforts.
“We’ll continue to work tirelessly to assist our low-income customers so all Mississippians can realize a more promising and productive future.”
Entergy Mississippi, Inc. provides electricity to more than 433,000 customers in 45 counties. It is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
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Entergy Mississippi’s online address is entergy-mississippi.com.