Brooklyn's Progress
August 2001

HeartShare Human Services and The Neighborhood Heating Fund were awarded the prestigious 2001 Victorine Q. Adams Fuel Fund Award at the 17th Annual National Fuel Funds Network (NFFN) Conference in Cincinnati, OH, on June 3. The national award is given annually to one “…organization that displays an innovative spirit towards raising public awareness and financial assistance for people in need of home-heating services.” Approximately 300 providers throughout the country are eligible for the Adams Award. The Neighborhood Heating Fund is sponsored by KeySpan and administered by HeartShare. HeartShare and the Fund also won two third place citations at the NFFN Media Fair for an in-house produced web site and professionally produced direct mail letter. In the 6 years that HeartShare has partnered with KeySpan, about 11,000 households, representing 25,000 people, in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island have been granted $3.1 million for home heating assistance. HeartShare set up 45 intake centers at its program sites, other community centers and at offices of elected officials. Homebound applicants apply by phone. KeySpan contributed $2.7 million to the Fund and its customers contributed $390,000. The annual conference brings together fuel fund administrators from the U.S., Canada and England who advocate for energy assistance programs benefiting low-income households. The award commemorates a living heroine, Victorine Q. Adams, who founded one of the nation’s first fuel funds in Baltimore in 1978. KeySpan has sponsored the Fund since 1983. Since that time, KeySpan has contributed more than $7.4 million to its Fuel Fund. In accepting the award, HeartShare Vice President Joseph Guarinello observed, “Without their [KeySpan] dedication and sense of community, we [HeartShare] would not be here today. The Neighborhood Heating Fund truly is a community effort….” Guarinello described the Fund as “…a model network of business, nonprofit, government and private citizens helping the elderly, the very young, the infirm and persons facing financial emergencies keep their homes and families warm during the winter season.” Since 1914 HeartShare has provided programs and services to New York’s most vulnerable citizens. Today it serves almost 11,000 children, adults and families. Tax deductible contributions to the Neighborhood Heating Fund may be sent to P.O. Box 9444NH, Uniondale, NY 11555-9444.