Published: September 04, 2008 11:47 am      

Chickasaw Nation, OG&E partner in energy efficient homes

Oklahoma City — A partnership between The Chickasaw Nation and OG&E has resulted in more energy efficient homes and improved job opportunities for Native American families.

In 2006, the Department of Energy (DOE) awarded the Chickasaw Nation a two-year, $150,000 grant to provide home weatherization assistance to Native American families who live in designated poverty areas.

This grant allowed the Chickasaw Nation to spend up to $350 per home to make 400 homes more energy efficient.

Ira Adams, Program Manager for the Chickasaw Nation’s Career Development Initiative (CDI), saw an opportunity to not only provide more energy efficient homes for those struggling with energy costs but also develop a means for members in the CDI program to gain employment in home weatherization.

“We want those in our program to learn job skills they can use throughout their lives,” Adams said. “Because many homes in our area are not energy efficient, we saw a way to marry the need for long-term training for our members with our communities’ need for energy efficient housing. For expertise in this area, we turned to OG&E.”

Adams said that OG&E’s Steve Buchanan, Government Account Manager, and Steve Kardokus, Commercial Account Manager, had been instrumental in guiding the partnership between OG&E and the Chickasaw Nation.

“Having people on the ground who understand our mission and purpose has been a key to building success with this program,” he added.

The CDI focuses on members of the Chickasaw Nation who are faced with barriers to employment, whether through lack of transportation, lack of education or a history of criminal offenses.

The goal of the program is to give these members a new start in life by providing on-the-job and classroom training so that they can re-enter the workforce.

Program members must complete their GED (General Equivalency Diploma) and are assigned goals to complete throughout the program.

CDI provides job placement assistance once a member successfully reaches his/her goals. Approximately 75 Native Americans are enrolled in the program.

OG&E helped facilitate a partnership with Oklahoma State University in Oklahoma City to provide instructors and textbooks in weatherization techniques.

Instructors have recent experience in home weatherization and are able to provide both classroom and on-the-job training to CDI students.

OG&E also provided an insulator which crew members can use to blow insulation into homes.

“This partnership is part of OG&E’s commitment to educate our communities about using energy wisely,” said Gary Marchbanks, Manager, Demand Side Management. “We’re proud to be working with the Chickasaw Nation to help them achieve their goals of career development and energy education for their community.”

The homeowner must apply for assistance and must be living below the poverty level which varies according to the size of the family.

Homeowners eligible for assistance receive free weatherization services from CDI crews.

“Homeowners not only get free work they also receive energy improvements on their home which result in savings on their energy bills,” Adams said.

“Most of our crew members apply the skills they’ve learned to make their own homes energy efficient as well.”