Northeast Utilities Foundation, Stonyfield Farm join Charitable Foundation in support
 From left to right: Gary Hirshberg, CEO, Stonyfield Farm; Gary Long, president and chief operating officer of Public Service of New Hampshire and director of the NU Foundation; Richard Ober, vice president of civic leadership for the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation; and Tom Burak, commissioner, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. |
Concord, NH – Three private donors have stepped forward to help a new collaborative keep track of scores of programs and initiatives to address climate change in New Hampshire.
The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the Northeast Utilities Foundation (NU) and Stonyfield Farm have each made a significant grant to the New Hampshire Energy and Climate Collaborative to support its work and staff. The collaborative includes 18 leading institutions from business, government and nonprofits in New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation serves as fiscal agent.
The primary purpose of the collaborative is to facilitate and track implementation of “The New Hampshire Climate Action Plan: A Plan for New Hampshire’s Economic, Environmental and Social Future.” Written by the 29-member Governor’s Climate Change Policy Task Force during 2008, the plan was released in March of this year. Its 67 recommendations are intended to achieve the greatest feasible reductions in greenhouse gas emissions while also providing the greatest possible long-term economic benefits. The plan is available at http://tinyurl.com/NHCAP.
“The collaborative is a classic New Hampshire approach to problem-solving,” said Richard Ober, vice president of civic leadership for the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. “The opportunities and challenges of the clean energy economy are far too great for any one sector to address. Only a comprehensive approach from business, government and nonprofit organizations will get the job done.”
“Forming this collaborative is the next step toward making the recommendations of the Climate Action Plan a reality,” said Gary Long, president and chief operating officer of Public Service of New Hampshire and a director of the NU Foundation. “That’s not going to happen without a dedicated staff, the creation of which the Northeast Utilities Foundation is pleased to support.”
“The work of the New Hampshire Energy and Climate Collaborative is so important to the state’s future that Stonyfield considers it essential to contribute,” said Gary Hirshberg, CEO. “Climate action offers economic opportunity – through energy and efficiency savings and innovation – as we have witnessed first-hand in Stonyfield’s own growth. And it takes vital steps to curb global warming, which scientists now see as approaching dangerous levels. As a result, New Hampshire can’t afford – economically or environmentally – to have its Climate Action Plan sit on the shelf.”
About the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation serves communities throughout New Hampshire, southeastern Maine and eastern Vermont. The Charitable Foundation manages a growing collection of charitable funds created by individuals, families and corporations, and awarded more than $34 million in grants and scholarships in 2008. The Charitable Foundation is non-partisan, frequently playing the role of convener and catalyst on a broad spectrum of issues. Based in Concord, the Charitable Foundation roots itself in the communities through seven regional advisory boards. More information is available at www.nhcf.org or by calling 603-225-6641.
About Northeast Utilities Foundation
The Northeast Utilities Foundation, established in 1998, has proudly supported charitable partners in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire with total donations of more than $10 million. For more information on the Northeast Utilities Foundation, visit www.northeastutilitiesfoundation.org.
About Stonyfield Farm
Stonyfield Farm, celebrating its 26th year, is the world's leading organic yogurt company. Its all natural and certified organic yogurt, smoothies, milk, cultured soy, frozen yogurt and ice cream are distributed nationally. The company advocates that healthy food can only come from a healthy planet. Its organic ingredient purchases keep over 100,000 farm acres free of toxic, persistent pesticides and chemical fertilizers that can contaminate soil, rivers and drinking water. To help reduce global warming, Stonyfield offsets all of the C02 emissions generated from its facility energy use. The company also started a nonprofit called Climate Counts (climatecounts.org) which shows people how they can help fight climate change by the way they shop and invest. Stonyfield also donates 10% of its profits to efforts that help protect and restore the Earth. For more information about Stonyfield Farm, its products and initiatives, visit www.stonyfield.com.
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