California Interfaith Energy
Assistance Project (CIEAP)
Funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Over five million California residents fall below Federal
Poverty Guidelines and have been forced to make difficult
decisions concerning issues affecting their daily lives.
High-energy costs have forced many low-income families to
choose between paying their utility bills, their rent or
mortgage, buying groceries or paying for badly needed medical
expenses.
To help
mitigate this problem, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
has provided funding for the California Interfaith Energy
Assistance Project (CIEAP) since January of 2002. CIEAP was
originally operated through the California Council of Churches
and Catholic Charities of California as an energy assistance
initiative for low-income people in seven designated geographic
areas, serving nine counties in California
CIEAP
also had the broader long-term goal of encouraging environmental
stewardship programs that would provide environmental sustainability
and justice through congregations and other community based
programs throughout California.
CIEAP
reached over 145,725 low-income people at 153 events, and
9,959 CARE program applications have been forwarded to utility
companies for processing. 384 congregations and community-based-organizations
have participated in local CIEAP activities and have enlisted
almost 1,250 volunteers to disseminate CARE Program materials.
CIEAP also reached over three million people through newspaper
articles and television and radio segments, and articles in
faith-based newsletters and church bulletins.
The Hewlett
Foundation funding for this outreach project expired at the
end of February 2004, but we are proud to announce that the
California Council of Churches has received a six-month Hewlett
Foundation continuation grant to extend our partnership with
Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, as outlined below:
A primary
focus of CIEAP's work in Los Angeles has been a faith-based
outreach effort to Catholic Charities of Los Angeles' (CCLA)
primarily Hispanic, low-income client base, and other local
community members, aimed at linking them with the CARE Program.
One of the most effective outreach models has been working
in partnership with the local Promotoras de Salud health outreach
program, through the GEM (Get Enrollment Moving) program at
Citrus Valley Health Partners. This model provides door-to-door
outreach for the CARE Program, and information on affordable
health insurance and health education services in low-income
neighborhoods, utilizing approximately 200 community volunteers.
Our new
project, through CCLA, will address local environmental health
issues by first addressing the immediate concerns raised by
local community members that relate to socioeconomic environmental
factors - their immediate "survival" issues that
pose a threat to their families' health and safety. These
issues include gang violence, drug and alcohol abuse, chemical
wastes from factories, automobile oil dumped in local parks,
smog, and graffiti. This will be accomplished through a continued
collaboration with local community-based organizations and
service providers, including the Promotoras de Salud health
outreach program.
A critical
leg of this effort will be to provide advocacy and educational
opportunities for community members concerning environmental
health issues and neighborhood safety. The goal of this effort
is to organize a tri-discipline (health, faith, and social
services) advocacy group, and to set up a mechanism to continue
this advocacy effort after current funding terminates. Activities
will include advocacy training sessions for local community
members (facilitated by Elizabeth Sholes, Public Policy Coordinator
for the California Council of Churches/ California Church
IMPACT), visits with local and statewide elected officials
to present local environmental concerns, and participation
in local environmental, health and social service meetings,
forums, and summits. Additionally, faith-based environmental/
global warming educational sessions would be conducted, utilizing
the Lighten Up! Video and Study Guide.
Links to your area Utilities & Assistance Programs:
Pacific
Gas & Electric (PG&E)
Southern
California Edison
Los
Angeles Dept. of Water & Power
San
Diego Gas & Electric
Southern
California Gas
City
of Palo Alto Utilities Department
Visit
the Hewlett Foundation web site to explore their areas of
interest:
http://www.hewlett.org
Other
Helpful Links
Catholic
Charities of California
California
Interfaith Power & Light (CIPL)
Coalition on
the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL)
National Religious
Partnership for the Environment (NRPE)
Flex
Your Power
Energy
Star for Congregations
Energy
Star Store
For
more information please contact:
Tom Bourne
Statewide Energy Project Coordinator
California Council of Churches
2715 K Street, Suite D
Sacramento, California 95816
916-442-5447/FAX 916-442-3036
E-mail: bourne@calchurches.org
Mary
Romero
Director, San Gabriel Region
Catholic Charities of Los Angeles
1307 Warren Street
Los Angeles, CA 90033
323-266-3130
FAX: 323-266-3269
E-mail: maryromero1@sbcglobal.net
www.catholiccharitiesla.org
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