Recipients of NYSEG and RG&E COVID-19 Business Grants Play Vital Roles in Local Communities

Funds still available for eligible businesses which can receive up to $50,000 in grant assistance

BINGHAMTON, NY — July 1, 2022 — New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) today announced that funding is still available for business customers through the companies’ COVID-19 Economic Relief Program. Eligible businesses with costs related to COVID-19 after March 15, 2020 can apply for up to $50,000 in grant assistance. The assistance is designed to retain businesses and jobs during these difficult times by promoting the economic recovery of New York businesses that incurred costs due to the pandemic.

Many businesses from the communities NYSEG and RG&E serve have already taken advantage of the program. Special Touch Bakery in Rochester is just such an example and their importance to the community goes far beyond the pies they make. The 20,000-square-foot commercial-grade bakery not only makes pies for wholesale and retail customers across the country but also provides meaningful employment to people of all abilities. The enterprise is an integrated operation where people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities work side-by-side to refine their baking skills and produce product.

“During the pandemic, like for most employers, there were all sorts of challenges to tackle, and the issues kept morphing,” said Donna Dedee, president and CEO of Special Touch Bakery. “Through it all, we knew we had to keep our manufacturing operation going to meet customers’ needs and ensure our valued bakers kept getting a paycheck; this grant was a terrific help to the operation in uncertain times and RG&E was an amazing partner, making the application process seamless and simple.”

Another business receiving a grant from the COVID-19 Economic Relief Program is NYSW Beverage Brands in Halcott Center, New York. The family-owned beverage company bottles mineral and alkaline water directly at the source in the Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York. Founded in 2006 with environmental responsibility at its core, the water the company distributes is the epitome of buying local.

“There is no need to tax the environment with the shipping of water from all over the world, when we have great water right here in New York,” said Jordan Zakka, director of operations at NYSW Beverage. “COVID took the life of my father Richard Zakka, who founded our company, and it hasn’t been easy to persevere, but we had to enact our safety standards to keep producing water for our customers.”

“I appreciate that NYSEG wants to see our business succeed,” added Zakka. “It was easy to apply for the grant and the people I have worked with genuinely care about small businesses.”

“We are committed to the communities we serve throughout New York, and it is critical to support the job creators that employ our neighbors,” said Patricia Nilsen, president and CEO of NYSEG and RG&E. “Our COVID-19 Economic Relief Program provides help to small and medium-sized businesses with the financial burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic so they can continue to grow and thrive.”

Large business customers can apply for up to $50,000 of assistance and small business customers can apply for up to $15,000 of assistance. Applicants must meet specific billing criteria available on the websites: lookupstateny.com/covidrelief/NYSEG and lookupstateny.com/covidrelief/RG&E.

Examples of costs incurred include, but are not limited to:

• Workforce training and development
• Retention and recruitment costs
• Electric and/or heating inspections by contractors
• Enhanced energy efficiency assistance
• Additional electric infrastructure projects

All applicants must be NYSEG or RG&E electric service customers. Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. Customers need not be current on their electric bills in order to receive a grant; however, in such cases, the awarded funding will be applied first to any customer overdue balances and any remaining amount, if any, will be sent to the customer. As part of the application process, the customer must certify that the request for funding is associated with COVID-19 and submit documentation of the expenditures, including vendor invoices and/or payment receipts.

Businesses with questions about the program or about their company’s eligibility can call 855.846.2982 or email NYSEGRGECovidRelief@icf.com for more information.

NYSEG and RG&E are subsidiaries of AVANGRID, Inc.

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