Citizens Energy Corporation is a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

that primarily aids poor and elderly households in

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

and internationally by organizing projects to provide discounted and free home heating services and supplies. They also construct power generation and transmission systems. In 1979, using oil-trading ventures in

Latin America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...

and

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, Citizens Energy began taking revenues from commercial enterprises to channel millions of dollars into charitable programs in the US and across the world. Citizens Energy has created eight separate subsidiaries, Citizens Gas Supply, Citizens Power & Light (now independent as Citizens Lehman Power LP), Citizens Conservation Corporation (sold in 1986), Citizens Heat and Power Company (sold in 1995), Citizens Wind, Citizens Solar, Citizens Health, and Citizens Medical. Citizens Energy currently provides free home

heating oil Heating oil is any petroleum product or other oil used for heating; it is a fuel oil. Most commonly, it refers to low viscosity grades of fuel oil used for furnaces or boilers for home heating and in other buildings. Home heating oil is often ...

for the elderly and the poor living in

and other cold weather states. In addition, the organization provides a

prescription drugs A prescription drug (also prescription medication, prescription medicine or prescription-only medication) is a pharmaceutical drug that is permitted to be dispensed only to those with a medical prescription. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs ca ...

assistance program, and has started

solar heating A solar thermal collector collects heat by Absorption (optics), absorbing sunlight. The term "solar collector" commonly refers to a device for solar hot water panel, solar hot water heating, but may refer to large power generating installations ...

projects in

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

and

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

. In February 2014,

Citgo Citgo Petroleum Corporation, or Citgo (stylized as CITGO), is a United States–based refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. Headquartered in the Energy Corridor area ...

and the

Government of Venezuela Venezuela is a federal presidential republic. The chief executive is the President of Venezuela who is both head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the President. Legislative power is vested in the National Assembl ...

launched its ninth annual Heating Oil Program in partnership with Citizens Energy; since its inception in 2005 the program has covered the donation of 235 million gallons of heating oil to 1.8 million Americans. The heating oil contributions from Venezuela ended in 2017. It is currently involved in the construction of power generation and transmission systems. Its founder and chairman is former Massachusetts Democratic Representative

Joseph Patrick Kennedy II Joseph Patrick Kennedy II (born September 24, 1952) is an American businessman, Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician, and a member of the Kennedy family. He is a son of former United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel ...

, the eldest son of

Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also known as RFK, was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 64th United States attorney general from January 1961 to September 1964, and as a U.S. senator from New Yo ...

References

External links

Citizens Energy Corporation
{{Authority control Development charities based in the United States Heating oil Charities based in Massachusetts Organizations established in 1979 1979 establishments in Massachusetts