We are proud to announce that Oregon Energy Fund has received a $20,000 grant from CareOregon! The contribution will be used locally in Multnomah County to help area residents get caught up on their electric bills so they can avoid power shutoffs. OEF is working in partnership with Latino Network and Native American Youth & Family Center to screen residents needing financial support.

 “This grant from CareOregon will allow us to provide a meaningful increase of funding to our neighbors in Multnomah County,” said Brian Allbritton, Executive Director of the Oregon Energy Fund. “Energy assistance is particularly vital in the winter months, as more people struggle to cover the cost of heating their homes. These funds will help ensure families can stay warm and healthy this season without sacrificing meals or medical care.”

According to a recent 2018 study, one-in-four households in Multnomah County are considered energy burdened—meaning they spend more than 6% of household earnings on home energy costs. These numbers are even higher for households of color.

Being energy burdened puts families at risk of falling behind on bills and cutting back on essential expenses such as food and medication. A power shutoff can even lead to eviction, especially for families in low-income housing or those who underpay rent to try and catch up on their bills.

“We have a housing crisis in Multnomah County,” said Shawn DeCarlo, CareOregon shared learning and grant evaluation program manager. “Too many families are struggling to make ends meet. The fact that tenants can be evicted for having their power shut off makes the Oregon Energy Fund program an important tool for helping vulnerable families stay housed. We’re proud that this $20,000 grant will help alleviate some of the financial strains our neighbors are facing.”

Grant funds will be used to pay late electric bills for households facing a power shutoff. On average, the energy assistance payment is $341 per household, paid directly by OEF to the utility provider. Oregon Energy Fund is partnering with Latino Network and Native American Youth & Family Center (NAYA) to screen individuals to ensure they meet program requirements.

“Studies show that utility hardship affects more people than most other ‘conditions of poverty,’” said Allbritton. “More than unemployment, more than falling behind on rent, even more than food insecurity. It is a pervasive and persistent problem. This donation from CareOregon is going to make a real difference to our neighbors this winter.”

Thank you to CareOregon for helping us keep our neighbors warm and healthy! Read more about the grant on CareOregon’s website. If you are in need of energy assistance, please click here.

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.