Friday, December 17, 2021

SEEDS Awarded 2 Grants Totaling Nearly $15,000 To Fund Sustainability Initiatives In NE PA

SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Education & Development Support) of Northeastern Pennsylvania recently announced it has received two grants to support sustainability initiatives in NE PA totaling nearly $15,000.

Robert H. Spitz Foundation

SEEDS received a $10,000 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation through the Scranton Area Community Foundation to be used to support the expansion of SEEDS’ The Energy Awareness Action Movement (TEAAM) initiative into Lackawanna County.

“The TEAAM initiative is one of the original SEEDS programs that defined our mission to the community,” said SEEDS Executive Director Olga Trushina.  “It's all about collaborating across-the-board on energy conservation projects. And we can't wait to begin our work in Lackawanna County, the home of the ‘Electric City’!”

The program encourages local homeowners to save energy through energy assessments done by SEEDS volunteers, and students who will be trained by SEEDS and a certified instructor. 

This intergenerational program also allows low-income families to save money on their energy bills and provides students with interactive, hands-on experience that can be used in their future lives and careers.

Funding is going toward assessment equipment, training, and program management. TEAAM will also be accompanied by public forums and local media support, laying the basis for a region-wide conservation effort, which SEEDS expects to result in thousands of kilowatt hours of documented electricity saved based on the previous years of this program’s existence.

The Robert H. Spitz Foundation was established from the estate of Robert H. Spitz in 2015. Mr. Spitz was born in Scranton and was a 1955 graduate of Scranton Central High School and the University of Miami, Florida. 

To date, the Robert H. Spitz Foundation has provided over $3.7 million in funding to the community. The Scranton Area Community Foundation has served as the administrator of the Robert H. Spitz Foundation since 2016

Overlook Estate Foundation

SEEDS received a $4,750 grant from the Overlook Estate Foundation to be used to support SEEDS’ educational programming and outreach efforts, including the Today’s Main Ingredient podcast, farm tour videos, SEEDS Reads, and other digital content.

"SEEDS and The Overlook Estate Foundation have a similar mission, which is why we continue to work together. Sharing the joy of a completed sustainability project has been so rewarding, and this initiative will be no different,” said Olga Trushina, SEEDS Executive Director. “This grant will support useful and engaging content creation that will broaden sustainability applications and the love for our NEPA community."

According to the Foundation, they are “a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of the natural world. 

“The purpose of the foundation is to encourage, promote and support cultural activities and events in the community, especially those which introduce, educate and advocate for increased awareness and responsibility for the conservation and preservation of the beauty and integrity of our heritage.”

For more information, visit the SEEDS NE PA website or call 570-245-1256 

[Posted: December 18, 2021]  PA Environment Digest

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