SICC and National Grid Foundation Celebrate Energy Affordability Initiative

The Staten Island Chamber of Commerce Foundation and National Grid Foundation gathered with local business owners and community leaders on October 28 at DOUGH by Licastri Silver Lake to celebrate the conclusion and impact of the Staten Island Energy Affordability Initiative.

The program provided $170,000 in grant funding to 26 Staten Island businesses and organizations facing rising energy costs. Funding helped recipients offset high natural gas expenses and make energy-related improvements, including new heating and cooking equipment, HVAC systems, water heaters, insulation, and other upgrades designed to improve efficiency and reduce long-term operating costs.

The initiative was developed through a partnership between the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the National Grid Foundation to provide both immediate relief and longer-term support for local businesses.

"We found that many businesses are struggling with rising costs, not just utilities, but real estate taxes, insurance, and so many other expenses," said Linda Baran, President and CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. "We wanted to focus on utility costs and create a program that could provide immediate relief while also helping businesses invest in equipment that can reduce costs going forward."

Baran also noted how important it was for the program to be accessible and responsive to the needs of small businesses. "Having a grant that was accessible and could be turned around in a very short period of time was phenomenal," she said.

Robert Simmons III, Executive Director of the National Grid Foundation, emphasized the importance of continuing to support Staten Island businesses and the broader community.

"At the National Grid Foundation and at National Grid, we care about this community. We want to do our part, and we want to be good corporate citizens," Simmons said. "Most importantly, it is important for us to show up. It is important for us to be present physically and financially." He added, "We're excited to continue this partnership and to continue to see it grow."

The event also gave several grant recipients an opportunity to share how the funding directly impacted their businesses.

Clio Alfonso, owner of DOUGH by Licastri, which hosted the event, spoke about how the grant helped the restaurant make important equipment upgrades. DOUGH received $12,000 toward energy relief and new efficient burners and fryers, helping the business reduce energy usage and long-term operating expenses.

"We still needed some kitchen equipment, and that is what we used the grant for," Alfonso said. "We were able to update our equipment, meet a higher customer demand, and replace an outdated piece of equipment."

Alfonso also spoke about the impact of receiving assistance when an unexpected expense arose. "This winter was pretty tough. We had a water heater go, and with rising costs, this grant made something possible that otherwise would have been a challenge."

Vincent Malerba of Angelina's Ristorante shared a lighter moment about his initial reaction when the Chamber first reached out about the grant. "My mother picked up the phone and said somebody wants to give me a grant. I told her, 'Don't worry about it, just hang up.' I thought it had to be too good to be true."

Malerba went on to explain that the funding helped address repairs that were still needed following Hurricane Sandy, making the assistance especially meaningful for the business.

Ralph Tafuri of Ralph's Sports Bar also spoke about the value of the assistance and the Chamber's support of local businesses. "These grants are like the icing on the cake, because there's nothing that the Chamber won't do for this business," Tafuri said.

The event concluded with remarks from Robert Gullery of Will John's Tire Empire, who reflected on the long history of support National Grid and the Chamber have provided to Staten Island businesses. "In the 40 years that I've been there, I've seen numerous programs," Gullery said. "During Sandy, businesses were waiting on those SBA loans and they never came. National Grid stepped in, and a lot of businesses actually were able to stay in business because of that."

Gullery also pointed to other community efforts supported by National Grid and thanked the organization for helping the Chamber leverage its partnerships on behalf of Staten Island businesses.

The Staten Island Energy Affordability Initiative was funded by the National Grid Foundation and administered locally through the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce Foundation. The program was designed to respond to individual business needs while helping recipients reduce both immediate energy expenses and longer-term operating costs.

Through partnerships like this, the Chamber Foundation continues to connect Staten Island businesses with resources that can help them address immediate challenges, make meaningful improvements, and remain strong members of the local business community.