The CITGO-Venezuela Heating Oil Program, which helped more than 200,000 households last winter, officially began its fifth consecutive season today. The president and CEO of CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Alejandro Granado; the chairman of Citizens Programs Corporation, Joseph P. Kennedy II; and the ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United States, Bernardo Álvarez, launched the 2010 edition of the program in New York City with a celebratory ceremony.

The event took place at the historic Riverside Church, which has a rich tradition of supporting social justice and peace efforts. During the 1960s, the church was actively involved in the Civil Rights movement and has been a supporter of peace efforts throughout time. In fact, Riverside Church was the first church in New York City to welcome Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to its pulpit.