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SAVE THE DATE!

WEATHERIZE OHIO

OCTOBER 18-19, 2023

QUEST CONFERENCE CENTER | COLUMBUS, OH

THANK YOU TO OUR EARLY SPONSORS FOR

THIS YEAR'S WEATHERIZE OHIO!

If you have vendors or partners that you think would benefit from sponsoring

Weatherize Ohio, please email Jon Milenthal for follow-up.

MEMBER NEWS & RESOURCES

Member Updates, Shares & Announcements 

Pickaway County Community Action Agency: Channin Carmean, PICCA’s Energy Coordinator, has joined the COAAA Advisory Council!

Gallia Meigs Community Action: Raymond Johnson had a new grandson just before Thanksgiving, expecting another one in April and did a gender reveal for a ninth one due in October this last weekend. It's a boy!

Ashtabula County Community Action attended the 2023 Home Show. They had a resource table set up with information on all of the Housing Programs, and specifically Weatherization and Energy Efficiency. It was a very good showing with lots of people stopping by the table. The organization also passed out several applications for our programs.

Shown in the photo:

Marlo Millard / Director of Housing and Energy

Carmen Kuula / Director of Planning

Marcy Fisher / Energy Specialist

Housing is unaffordable for half of Portage County renters, among the worst in the state

Portage County is among the worst counties in Ohio for housing affordability, with residents spending a higher percentage of their income on their rent and other housing costs, according to a recently released U.S. Census Bureau report. Portage County is second only to Athens County in high housing expenses, with 6.7% of residents paying 30% to 34.9% of their income on housing costs, while 46.9% spend 35% or more to live in one of the county’s 17,288 rental units.

READ MORE

Nutrition program feeds residents’ bodies and souls

“March For Meals” is a celebration that occurs each March to commemorate the ongoing efforts of Meals on Wheels programs all across the U.S. to help seniors and people with disabilities combat food insecurity.

READ MORE

If you have a story idea, talent, joke or anything you would like to share about your organization, please submit it via our "Submit Your Story" form.

March Game: Weatherization Measures

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

• Great Lakes Community Action Partnership: Meals on Wheels services 469 seniors in 2022

• Community Action Agency of Columbiana County, Inc.: Community health center supporting East Palestine awarded emergency funding from HHS

• Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization: PROFILE 2023 — A trip back in time: The Marting Hotel 

• Community Action Organization (CAO) of Scioto County: Truman finds success in cessation through CAO

• Community Action Commission of Erie, Huron and Richland Counties Inc. programs benefit region

• Hocking Athens Perry Community Action: Foodbank services highlighted at Chamber event

• CAC of Pike County hosting Gus Hopper 5K event April 15

• Community Action Council of Portage County: Minority health event to focus on kidney disease

POLICY & ADVOCACY UPDATES

OPAE continues to be engaged at the Statehouse on a number of issues:

Preserving the 25 percent LIHEAP Transfer to Weatherization.

• The current version of the state’s operating budget legislation (HB 33) contains the 25 percent transfer of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds over to a weatherization use. OPAE’s leaders met with State Representative Jay Edwards about this need to preserve this language as the bill migrates through the legislative process.

Engaging in the Selection Process for Consumers Counsel.

• With the welcomed announcement of the retirement of Bruce Weston, we are encouraging those that are appointing the replacement to prioritize an open-mindedness to the impact of programs on overall energy consumption and costs.

Supporting Reasonable Electric Utility Reform.

• Senator Shane Wilkin is expected to introduce a bill that will require publicly-traded electric companies to file their rate cases on a more regular basis. We are in talks with the Senator to ensure that the legislation will permit OPAE to contract with electric utilities to do low-income weatherization services.

Energy Efficiency

• OPAE is working with the sponsors of House Bill 79, energy efficiency legislation, to see that it receives favorable consideration.