Oregon Energy Fund has been named a recipient of the 2019 Victorine Q. Adams Award, a national award for innovation and exemplary achievement in the field of energy assistance.

The Victorine Q. Adams Award is given by the National Energy & Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC) and recognizes “a nonprofit organization that displays an innovative spirit towards raising public awareness and generating financial aid for people in need of energy assistance.”

OEF received the award for our Senior Discount Pilot Program, which provides recurring energy assistance to homebound seniors. A groundbreaking collaboration with Meals on Wheels People and Portland General Electric, this program allows MoWP clients who are already receiving meal deliveries to sign up for monthly energy assistance in their homes, eliminating the need to travel or take personal documents out of the home. 

This year’s award was presented at the annual NEUAC conference in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 4. Deputy Director Marietta Doney and Board of Directors member Tyler Richardson accepted the award on behalf of OEF.

NEUAC Executive Director Katrina Metzler, who presented the award, said, “The Senior Discount Program reduces barriers to receiving assistance, makes funds more accessible to an often-overlooked population, and ensures seniors on fixed incomes have more money to spare for necessities like food, rent, and medication.” (Click here to read more about the Senior Discount Program.)

This is the second time OEF has been recognized with the Victorine Q. Adams Award. We previously received the award in 2008 for our Oil Recycling Program, which converts donated oil from homes and businesses into funds for energy assistance. Other past recipients include Dollar Energy Fund, HeatShare Human Services of New York, and NJ SHARES.

We here at OEF are extremely grateful to NEUAC for recognizing our work, and are honored to be recognized in this way. We would especially like to thank Meyer Memorial Trust, whose generous financial support has made this pilot program possible. We look forward to finding new ways to help our fellow Oregonians meet their energy needs.

Want to help us create more local funds like the Senior Discount Program?

Support Our Work With a Donation

The number of energy burdened homes in Oregon declined slightly in 2018, according to new data provided by the Home Energy Affordability Gap (HEAG) and the United States Census.

Around 433,000 Oregon households spent 6% of their income or higher on their energy bills last year, according to HEAG, an annual study that calculates the affordability of US energy bills. This is down slightly from 2017, when HEAG estimated there were approximately 441,000 severely energy burdened households in the state.

Promisingly, the number of energy burdened households dropped as the total number of households rose from 1,545,745 to 1,571,631. However, this still suggests more than 27% of Oregonians struggle to pay their energy bills, confirming utility hardship as a silent and pervasive crisis across our state.

OEF compared HEAG’s calculations to data from the U.S. Census to gain a closer understanding of our state’s home energy gap and where to direct resources.

Oregon’s energy burden is felt most fiercely in its rural counties. Malheur County is the most energy burdened county in the state, with 48.81% of all households facing a severe energy burden. The next highest-burdened counties are Lake County (48%), Wheeler County (46.23%), Harney County (44.10%), and Crook County (43.82%). Meanwhile, Multnomah County has the highest number of energy burdened homes (79,492), followed by Lane County (54,271) and Washington County (37,170), though their large populations mean the overall percentages are lower.

The data also shows how a home energy burden impacts households on all economic levels. The lowest income households spend the most on energy – up to 38% of their income in some instances. These homes experience an annual shortfall of more than $2,200. However, even some households whose income lies within 200% of the poverty line have an energy burden of nearly 8%, and come up $640 short each year. Oregon’s total shortfall from its collective energy burden is nearly $350 billion.

These numbers support studies showing that low-income households and households in rural areas are more likely to be energy burdened and face a higher energy burden than the average household. (The average US energy burden is 3.5%.)

They also underscore how great the need is for energy assistance. According to Oregon Housing and Community Services, LIHEAP & OEAP were able to serve 73,763 households in 2017 before funding ran out – just 17% of households in need.

Without assistance, energy burdened households are forced to make terrible decisions. 1 in 5 American households report cutting back on food, rent, or medicine to pay for energy, while thousands resort to payday loans or other predatory forms of lending. 23% of respondents to the National Energy Assistance Survey said they either became homeless or moved in with friends or family because of energy costs – a particularly alarming fact given a recent study that found 156,000 Oregon households on the brink of homelessness. Now, more than ever, we must work together to support our neighbors in need.

For more information about Oregon’s energy gap or HEAG’s calculations, click here. If you are in need of energy assistance, please click here.

Oregon Energy Fund is proud to announce that it has partnered with three new Portland-area organizations to provide increased energy assistance to communities of color. The three agencies are the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), Latino Network, and the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA).

These partnerships are part of a larger equity effort to make our services more accessible to those communities who have traditionally faced systemic hurdles to achieving financial stability and/or receiving support. Studies show that people of color are more likely to be energy burdened and face an energy burden up to 64% greater than white households, in part because a higher percentage of people of color live in poverty. By working with leaders within these communities, OEF is committed to addressing this disparity and ensuring that our energy assistance funds benefit as many Oregonians as possible.

Please scroll down for descriptions of the three organizations and the communities they serve. If you would like to donate in support of these programs, please click here. If you are in need of energy assistance, please click here.

Photo credit: IRCO

Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)

The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) serves the holistic needs of immigrants, refugees, and mainstream community members in Oregon and SW Washington. As a community-based organization, IRCO empowers children, youth, families and elders from around the world to build new lives and become self-sufficient by providing more than 200 culturally and linguistically specific social services.

Oregon has one of the fastest growing refugee and immigrant populations in the country. Forced to leave their home countries for fear of persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group, refugees and immigrants come to Portland to begin new lives. IRCO focuses on removing barriers to self-sufficiency and helps individuals and families thrive by providing more than 200 culturally and linguistically specific social services, from employment, vocational training and English language learning, to community development, early childhood and parenting education, youth academic support and gang prevention.

Photo credit: Latino Network

Latino Network

Latino Network is a Latino-led education organization, grounded in culturally-specific practices and services, that lifts up youth and families to reach their full potential.  Their work springs from the core belief in Latino community self-determination—that is, the ability of community members to participate meaningfully in the decisions that affect their lives and the lives of their families.

Latino Network was founded in 1996 by community leaders who grew concerned about the lack of adequate resources to meet the needs of the growing Latino community. Since that time, they have evolved to become an organization that also encompasses transformational programs aimed at educating and empowering Multnomah County Latinos. Low achievement scores, youth violence and high drop out rates undermine the Latino community’s potential. Latino Network addresses these issues by promoting early literacy, encouraging parent involvement, working with gang-involved and adjudicated youth and families, and providing academic support and activities to high school aged youth. They also build leadership capacity for youth and adults.

Photo credit: NAYA

Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)

The Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) is a vibrant hub that provides cultural programs and services for Portland’s 40,000 Native people.

Guided by its elders and trusted by the community, NAYA creates a place for Native people to gather together and live the values of their own unique cultures. When the Native community thrives, so does the entire Portland region. NAYA offers a wide array of comprehensive services and community-based solutions, including lifelong educational opportunities, cultural identity, leadership development, elders support, homes for families, early childhood programs, and paths to financial security based on traditional tribal values. NAYA is committed to eliminating poverty, hunger, family violence, and homelessness.

If you’ve ever worried about having enough money to pay your energy bill, you’re not alone. Nearly 39 million American households – or 1 in 3 – struggle to pay for electricity each year, while 25 million sacrifice food or medicine to cover the bills. And as the weather grows more extreme and our daily lives depend ever more on electronics, it’s become harder and harder to find ways to save on the monthly electric bill.

If possible, upgrading to energy efficient appliances or conducting a home energy audit are the best ways to reduce your electric bill in the long-term. But what if you need to lower your bill now? Fortunately, there are a number of easy – and cheap – ways you can cut back on your home energy use today. Scroll down for 10 quick energy-saving tips.

1) Set your thermostat to 68 degrees in the winter.

In cold weather, the cost of heating your home increases by 3% for every degree over 68. To keep your electric bills down, set your thermostat to 68 degrees when you’re at home and lower it by around 10 degrees when you’re away or sleeping. This can lower your bill by $83 a year.

2) Wash your laundry with cold water.

90% of the energy used by a washing machine goes toward heating the water. Washing your clothes with cold water can save you up to $200 a year on your electric bill.

3) Use power strips for electronics & unplug when not in use.

Electronics consume a shocking amount of energy, even when they’re turned off or done charging. Cut down on phantom loads by plugging TVs, phones, laptops, chargers, and even coffee makers into smart power strips and unplugging them when not in use.

4) Switch to LED lightbulbs.

Turning off lights in your home is an easy way to save electricity. But what about when the lights are on? Studies show that installing LED lightbulbs can save you up to $100 a year on your utility bill – and they last longer than incandescent or halogen bulbs, too!

5) Use your ceiling fan year-round.

Ceiling fans are a cheap way to stay cool in the summer, and they can also keep you warm in the colder months! By reversing your fan to spin clockwise, the fan pushes warm air down, making you more comfortable in the winter. This can save you up to 15% on your electric bill.

6) Install curtains on your windows and know when to use them.

A home loses about 30% of its heat through its windows. To solve this, install curtains or window shades and keep them closed at night to help with insulation. During the day, turn down the thermostat and open the curtains to allow the sun to naturally heat the room.

7) Minimize electricity use during peak hours.

Many utility companies, including Portland General Electric and Pacific Power, offer lower electricity rates during the day or late at night. Take advantage of these off-hours by running large appliances like your washing machine or dishwasher at these times.

8) Adjust the temperature on your water heater.

Most water heaters come preset at 140 degrees. The Department of Energy recommends that you lower it to 120 degrees. This can save you up to 10% on your electric bill.

9) Keep your heaters and vents clean and dust-free.

Heating systems are less energy efficient and have to work harder when they’re dirty. If you have baseboard heaters, keep the surface and coils free of dust. If you have central heating, wipe out the vents and make sure they’re open.

10) Enroll in a Home Weatherization Assistance Program.

Many local organizations offer weatherization and energy conservation programs to help make your home more energy efficient and reduce your electric bill. These programs will teach you how to seal your windows and doors to avoid cold-air leaks, DIY insulation tips, and furnace and water heater upkeep. Some organizations also provide in-home weatherization services for seniors and people with disabilities.

To enroll in a home weatherization program, visit the Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) or the Community Energy Project, or find your local agency here.

Still need help paying your electric bill?
Visit our energy assistance page to learn how to get emergency energy assistance in your area.