PEI Kids “Goes Green” With the Help of The James Kerney Foundation and the New Jersey Department of Clean Energy

Lawrenceville, NJ – June 25, 2015 – In June, PEI Kids completed a year-long project to upgrade its lighting and HVAC systems to energy-efficient standards at its 231 Lawrence Road headquarters located in Lawrenceville.  With the New Jersey Department of Clean Energy’s Direct Install Program footing 70% of the bill, and The James Kerney Foundation granting PEI Kids the other 30% in a $15,244 grant, the agency was able to make facility upgrades which included replacing three HVAC units that were over 15 years old, upgrading lighting systems and installing automatic timers throughout its building to meet current energy-efficiency standards.

Through this project, PEI Kids will save an estimated $130,000 in energy upgrades and energy usage over the next 10 years.  With this savings, PEI Kids plans to allocate more money to its programs which directly affect the lives of children living in the Greater Mercer County community.

“Capital campaigns like this are a big win for all involved,” says Executive Director Roslyn Dashiell.  “In doing our small part to reduce our environmental footprint, we help support New Jersey’s clean energy efforts, and we help to create a sustainable future for our community and our children.  We are also able to cut our operational expenses and use those resources to provide more support for programs and services… everyone wins,” adds Roz.

About PEI Kids
For the past 30 years, PEI Kids’ mission has been dedicated to promoting and maintaining a safe environment for all children. PEI Kids’ aspiration for the children of Mercer County, NJ, is “Safe Kids, Sound Futures.” Currently serving approximately 16,000 children and their families each year, the nonprofit organization began in 1985 when, while working at a rape crisis center, its founders discovered there were no local services tailored for children who had been sexually abused. Since then, its services have expanded to include Prevention/ Education and Intervention programs relating to personal safety; physical and sexual abuse; understanding physical and educational differences; school safety and bullying; anger management; gang prevention; and the overall well-being of the child and family. PEI Kids is also the lead agency of the Greater Mercer Coalition to Prevent Child Abuse, and provides transportation and over 1,600 supervised visits each year for children in foster care and their families. To learn more about PEI Kids’ programs and services, and how you can support their efforts, please call 609-695-3739 or visit www.peikids.org. All calls regarding possible abuse are confidential.

About The James Kerney Foundation

The James Kerney Foundation has a history of supporting programs involving education, housing, faith-based and other special interest groups in the greater Trenton, NJ, area.

Since its inception in 1934, the James Kerney Foundation has distributed several million dollars to support those who in need of a helping hand – supporting the legacy of James Kerney and the way he lived his life.

About New Jersey Department of Clean Energy’s Direct Install Program

Created specifically for existing small to medium-sized facilities, Direct Install is a turnkey solution that makes it easy and affordable to upgrade to high efficiency equipment. Direct Install is designed to cut facility’s energy costs by replacing lighting, HVAC and other outdated operational equipment with energy efficiency alternatives. The program pays up to 70% of retrofit costs, dramatically improving payback on the project.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *