Our featured Local Resource for this edition of Get to Know a Resource is Opportunity Council Energy Services. Lorena Shah, Energy Services Manager at the Opportunity Council took the time to fill out our questionnaire so you could get a chance to learn their story. 

For those unfamiliar with your organization, give us your thirty second elevator speech.

Opportunity Council Energy Services encompasses direct energy assistance to low income families, furnace repair and replacement, energy conservation education for both in-home and in a workshop format, Healthy Homes-an asthma trigger reduction program, and referrals to weatherization and home repair.

Energy Services helped over 5,300 families last year pay their energy billsEnergy Services will disburse over $3.4 million in direct energy grants during the current funding year.Energy Services is a recent recipient of a private $100,000 grant to mitigate asthma triggers in homes with small children. 

Though we love data, we still have heart. Tell us about an experience that has made your work worthwhile.

The most rewarding experience is when a family comes in for assistance and not only do we assist them with energy assistance, but we discover they are eligible for Weatherization and Energy Conservation services. This allows us take a holistic approach to whole house comfort. Making a home safe, comfortable, healthy and energy efficient allows families to take the next step towards self sufficiency. 

Community health issues cross a number of sectors and agencies. Tell us about your organization's role in the complex web of community health.

The Freeman Healthy Homes Program, generously funded by the Jeff Freeman Memorial Fund, is open to lower-income families who have a child under six with diagnosed asthma. Families receive a home visit combining asthma health education with an in–home energy audit and weatherization pre-assessment. Asthma health educators are trained to look for asthma triggers in the home and to offer mitigation techniques and materials that families can introduce immediately into their homes. In addition to in-depth education, families may receive a HEPA-vacuum, green cleaning kit, pillow and mattress covers, walk-off mats and more. Depending on a child’s individual triggers, families may also be eligible for home ventilation and flooring upgrades. 

Dream big here; if your organization received a sizable grant, what would you do with it?

We would pull together directors and managers to pinpoint where the most need in the organization lay and allocate funding to those programs. 

Give us your pitch! What are ways for a person to get involved with your organization?

Opportunity Council often has opportunities to volunteer and can typically be found by contacting the Whatcom Volunteer Center. Donations can be made directly to the agency and donors can stipulate what area or program they would like the donation directed to. 

Any final words for our readers?

Opportunity Council Energy Services is much more than just assistance with heating and electric bills. Each client receives a one-on-one appointment with a highly-trained Energy Services staff member who will take the time to educate clients on bill payment strategies, maintaining good relationships with utilities, and energy conservation strategies. Staff members are trained to make direct referrals to our Weatherization, Energy Conservation and Healthy Homes program, as well as general referrals to other agencies and programs. Energy Services serves as the primary gateway to many agency programs. 




Now that you've learned a little about Opportunity Council Energy Services head on over to their Local Resource Listing for information on how you can get involved. 

If you would like to have your organization featured in a Get to Know a Resource article, fill out our short Questionnaire!