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 HeartShare Human Services of New York |
NFFN Marks 25th Anniversary with Gala Dinner
The National Fuel Funds Network celebrated its silver anniversary February 10th with a gala reception and dinner at the Washington Marriott Hotel. More than 150 NFFN 
members and supporters took part in the evening event that featured a retrospective look at the organization’s beginnings and achievements.
NFFN Chairperson Sue Montgomery-Corey welcomed the guests to the dinner and spoke to the audience about the home energy crisis facing millions of households and the NFFN’s commitment to help its members help those who they serve. Valeria Bullock of PECO was a vivacious MC for the event.
Jacqueline Hutchinson, an NFFN Board member, recalled the spirit and the desire to help those in need of Sister Pat Kelley, the Network’s founder. Ms. Hutchinson told listeners of Sister Pat’s work in St. Louis in the early 1980’s to create Dollar Help and the efforts of her and others that to laid the groundwork that resulted in the formation of the National Fuel Funds Network.
Former NFFN Chairperson Carol Clements took the dinner guests through an accounting of the NFFN’s growth and accomplishments over the last decade. Ms. Clements pointed to the creation and success of NFFN’s LIHEAP Action Day, the media’s recognition of the Network as a major voice in the area of energy assistance and the merger of the NFFN’s annual conference with the National Low Income Energy Consortium conference to form the largest national gathering of energy assistance professionals.
Thomas Skains, Board Chairman of the American Gas Association and head of Piedmont Natural Gas, congratulated the NFFN. He then spoke to the need for partnership and hard work to maintain the 
needed $51 billion in federal energy aid.
At the gala, Ms. Montgomery Corey announced the awarding of special certificates to members of Congress who over the years have demonstrated their support for federal energy assistance and the work of fuel funds. Certificates were awarded to Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), and Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Representative David Obey (D-WI)
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