Mikaila Adams
Associate Editor – OGFJ
Black Elk Energy, an independent oil and gas company, has partnered with the Louisiana Association of Community Action Partnerships’ (LACAP) ‘Empowering the Community’ initiative. The program aids underprivileged families and those still recovering from the 2005 hurricane disasters by providing money for utility bills. Black Elk joined forces with the organization to empower those in parishes where the company currently operates.
Program funding, made available through LACAP, will be consistent with the guidelines of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. In addition to Black Elk’s contributions, the organization collects funds through utility companies and the state. Roughly 90% of all the dollars received flows directly to those in need.
“We are very fortunate to have Black Elk Energy elect to give back to the community through this program,” said Gervis LaFleur, president of LACAP. “Black Elk Energy is setting a wonderful example of great corporate citizenship.”
The partnership that Black Elk has formed with LACAP is designed “to give back to the communities that we work in to help those that are struggling primarily with the effect of high oil and gas prices. It’s something that I call ‘responsible profits,” said John Hoffman, president and CEO of Black Elk Energy.
Louisiana Association of Community Action Partnerships (LACAP) is a private, non-profit agency organized to promote programs engaged in raising the economic and social standards of low-income residents in the State of Louisiana. Some of LACAP’s programs include Head Start, Weatherization, Medicaid, Energy Assistance, Early Childhood Development, Teenage Pregnancy Prevention, and Fatherhood Initiatives. Each year, LACAP’s community action agencies assist over 600,000 Louisiana residents.
Houston-based Black Elk Energy is an independent oil and gas company founded by seasoned industry executives. The company has a specific geographic focus within the Southern Gulf Coast states.
In addition to its current assets and efforts, the company is looking to expand on both fronts. Acquisition opportunities are being reviewed along the Gulf Coast, primarily in Southern Louisiana and in certain counties in Texas. The company hopes to expand its community support in line with its acquisitions.
“Giving back to the community is a fundamental principal of our business culture,” Hoffman stated. “This is a way of ensuring that we are good corporate citizens.”
