February 21, 2025 at 2:22 p.m.
UNPRECEDENTED HELP!
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany was thrilled to announce an unprecedented grant of $550,000 from the National Grid Foundation to support the organization’s Emergency Energy Assistance Fund (EEAF).
The fund will go toward helping residents seeking emergency heating and energy assistance during the winter months.
National Grid presented the check for over half a million dollars on Feb. 19 at the Pastoral Center, home of Catholic Charities’ main office. Various executive directors of Catholic Charities agencies across the Diocese and National Grid employees attended the announcement.
“This $550,000 will provide a vital lifeline for those facing desperate circumstances,” said Sister Betsy Van Deusen, CSJ, CEO of Catholic Charities of Albany. “We cannot thank National Grid enough for this life-changing gift.”
National Grid has been a long-time partner of Catholic Charities, donating to the Emergency Assistance fund for over 17 years.
“This won’t be our last collaboration between the National Grid Foundation and the Albany community,” said Robert Simmons, Executive Director of the National Grid Foundation. “We’re building on a legacy of those who came before me, but also standing on the shoulders of those in the Catholic tradition who have fought for justice and against poverty.”
The milestone donation drives home the impact that rising living costs are having on local communities, as well as the importance of financial assistance programs to help those in need fill in the gaps.
“The need is growing at an alarming rate,” said Sister Betsy. “Since 2021, we’ve nearly doubled the number of households in need of help. Not only are we serving more households, but we are also providing larger monetary help for those rising emergency energy costs.”
Of the homes Catholic Charities serves, 60% are in rural communities, and 40% are in suburban and urban, “proving that financial assistance has no boundaries,” Sister Betsy added.
In 2023, Catholic Charities served 621 households. By 2024, that number grew to 824 — a nearly 33% increase in just one year.
This is coupled with the rising cost of fuel and electricity. In 2021, the average assistance grant per household was $463. By 2024, that figure had risen to $548, largely due to the increasing cost of fuel and electricity.
“A tank of fuel cost $300-400 in rural communities in 2021 and is now over $600 in 2024,” said Sister Betsy. “This increase underscores how critical the funding is. Inflation is driving up the cost of food and oil and gas, and our neighbors, and some of us in this room, are struggling to keep our homes warm and our lights on.”
Bev and Don, a couple profiled during the press release in a brief video, were among the many couples who benefited from Catholic Charities’ assistance.
Bev, 92, spent her whole life in her current house since marrying her husband, Don, in 1957. But as the house began to age, so did their oil tank. During the winter, the tank sprung a leak and left the couple without heat.
“We just didn't have enough to cover it,” Don said. “In the house, you could smell diesel.”
Their family wanted to pay for the fix but were struggling with their finances as well. Their daughter heard about Catholic Charities' emergency funding and reached out about getting her parents help. Catholic Charities staff helped file the necessary paperwork and install a new oil tank in the house.
“We couldn’t have done it without it,” Don said.
“Bev and Don’s story is personal but represents so many others in our communities who are facing certain financial uncertainty,” Sister Betsy added. “This grant brings hope, peace and comfort to those in hardships.”
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