National Grid Foundation Provides $250,000 in Energy Assistance

National Grid Foundation Committs $250,000 in Energy Assistance amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Foundation Awards Grant to Catholic Charities for Emergency Energy Assistance Fund

Samantha is the sole caretaker for her mother, Helen. Together they live off Samantha’s salary and Helen’s retirement income. They were getting by – until they weren’t.

Every year, the staff at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany work with people like Samantha and Helen. Winter hits hard, and heating bills push stretched budgets over the edge in the cold weather months. Factor in the COVID-19 crisis, and the need is even greater. Thanks to a grant from the National Grid Foundation, Catholic Charities was able to get Samantha the support she needed to keep her and her mother warm and safe in their home.

After a challenging year, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany is seeing more and more people in need of rental assistance, nutritional support and help with their energy costs. This winter, the nonprofit anticipates even more residents in the Greater Capital Region will struggle to make ends meet.

To help with the increased need, the National Grid Foundation is committing a record $250,000 to Catholic Charities’ Emergency Energy Assistance Fund (EEAF) to help local residents pay their energy bills. The foundation is doubling last year’s fuel-neutral grant to help even more families get through an extremely challenging time. As part of this effort, Catholic Charities and the National Grid Foundation officials also announced a challenge to the greater community to donate to assist those in need with contributions to the EEAF.  

This is the thirteenth year the National Grid Foundation has provided a significant grant to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany to support families in need of energy assistance. The funding will help an estimated 700 households in 14 upstate New York counties, including the Greater Capital Region and outlying rural areas.

Vincent W. Colonno, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany said, “We’ve seen it all year; our neighbors are struggling. Layoffs, furloughs, illness – these are things that directly affect the people who rely on our services. I am thankful that we can provide this support to our neighbors who are working hard to pay their bills. Our partnership with the National Grid Foundation will help people better afford electricity, natural gas, heating oil, propane, wood – whatever they need to keep safe from the cold.”

“We are pleased to again be able to help our neighbors by not only continuing our annual support of Emergency Energy Assistance Services,” said Ed White, Executive Director of the National Grid Foundation. “But we are especially thrilled to be able to provide additional funding to offer even more relief for fuel-neutral energy costs during this unprecedented situation. We have a long history of serving as a community partner and understand the critical need in our communities. We are grateful to organizations as Catholic Charities of Albany as they deliver so many much-needed services at this difficult time.”    


The National Grid Foundation has kicked off 2021 helping its neighbors with food access, human services and emergency heating fund support assisting local communities impacted by COVID-19. With a $1.5 million donation, more than 50 non-profit organizations, including Catholic Charities, across New York, Mass. and Rhode Island will aid thousands of individuals with basic human needs, hunger relief, and address fuel-neutral winter energy costs. During 2020, the National Grid Foundation Board of Directors approved a total of $2 million in COVID-support funding to assist communities in need, including the currently announced gift.