Grant will keep
program running for first quarter of 2010
New Orleans – Entergy Louisiana, LLC
and Entergy Corporation have teamed up to donate $100,000 to keep the Jefferson
Parish Council on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program running through the first
three months of 2010.
Confronted with a funding shortfall,
the Council on Aging was forced to remove almost 300 elderly Jefferson Parish
residents from its free meals program. But a $50,000 donation from Entergy
Louisiana and a matching grant from Entergy Corporation will keep those
residents in the program through at least March.
“When we heard that the Meals on
Wheels program was facing a financial crisis we knew immediately that we wanted
to find a way to help,” said Steven Scheurich, vice president for customer
service for Entergy Louisiana, LLC. “We got together with the parish and with
the Council on Aging and put together funding to help keep the program going
until additional funds can be found.”
The two Entergy companies presented a
check for the donation to the Jefferson Parish Council on Aging at Wednesday’s
Jefferson Parish Council meeting.
“Through the generous donation of
$100,000 from Entergy, the Meals on Wheels program in Jefferson Parish will be
restored through March 31, 2010,” added Jefferson Parish Council Chairman John
Young. “Entergy’s contribution will provide meals for an additional 291 citizens
to receive a meal 5 days a week. For this program to continue, we encourage
local businesses to get involved to assist the needs of this ever growing
population.”
“I’m very grateful for Entergy’s
assistance,” said Al Robichaux, executive director of the Jefferson Parish
Council on Aging. “Because of their help, we are able to continue providing
meals to elderly residents. Hopefully Entergy’s generosity will encourage other
businesses and individuals to contribute to this invaluable program.”
Entergy’s Louisiana utility companies
serve more than one million customers through the operating companies Entergy
Louisiana, LLC and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, L.L.C. With operations in
southern, central and northeastern Louisiana, the companies are part of Entergy
Corporation’s electric system serving 2.7 million customers in Louisiana,
Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas.
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entergy-louisiana.com
