Monique Lovato To Head Denver-Based Energy Advocacy Group
DENVER, Oct. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The former head of philanthropy at Xcel Energy has taken the helm at the National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC), an advocacy group that has moved from Washington D.C. to Denver. NEUAC's mission is to heighten awareness of the energy affordability needs of low and moderate income Americans. NEUAC also helps build and develop fuel funds around the country which provide energy assistance at the state level.
The organization, which had been headquartered in Washington D.C., has moved to Denver as a result of the choice of Monique Lovato as its first executive director. NEUAC is the product of a merger between the National Low Income Energy Consortium and the National Fuel Funds Network.
Some of NEUAC's members and stakeholders include utility companies, state fuel funds, community action networks, state energy assistance providers and other nonprofits that work to provide a safety net for the poor, such as Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC), the Salvation Army, United Way and Catholic Charities.
In 2014, one of the longest and harshest winters in recent memory for the Northeast and Upper Midwestern states, the Federal government provided $3.4 billion in energy assistance dollars, and additional funds for weatherization from the Department of Energy.
"After many years in the private sector, working with nonprofits, local governments and other corporate and community foundations, I am excited to re-build an organization with a focus on helping people stay in their homes and stabilize neighborhoods," said Lovato. "I had the privilege for many years of being part of one of the strongest utility and fuel fund partnerships in the country between Xcel Energy and Energy Outreach Colorado; now I can take what I learned and move it to the national level," she added.
While at Xcel Energy, Lovato worked with EOC and the City of Denver to establish a $2 million annual fund that invests in energy efficiency measures in affordable housing and nonprofit facilities. She also helped strengthen efforts between Mile High United Way's 2-1-1 referral group and the department at Xcel Energy working with customers struggling to pay their energy bills. In 2013, Mile High United Way received 9,700 requests for utility bill payment assistance, the number two need in metro Denver.
Lovato chairs the housing committee at the Denver Urban Renewal Authority and sits on the board of directors of the Colorado Nonprofit Association. She will be part of a panel discussion October 30 at Regis University hosted by Energy Outreach Colorado, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. EOC's event includes a screening of the HBO movie, "American Winter," highlighting the struggle of average Americans to afford home energy. The event is open to the public, with details at http://www.energyoutreach.org.
NEUAC is now headquartered at 303 E. 17th Avenue, Suite 350, Denver, and can be found at http://www.NEUAC.org.
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SOURCE National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC)
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