Utility Bill Assistance

 

 

Dominion Hope West Virginia Heat Fund

The Dominion Hope Heat Fund program was created to provide one time assistance for utility bills. The programs, which is available as a result of donations from the community, often assists hundreds of customers per year. The application process can be accelerated when the family has a crisis, but any assistance for paying energy bills is available as a last resort.

Contributions to Heat Fund come from many resources, and the Salvation Army in West Virginia oversees it. However it starts with one time donations from the general public. People from across the region contribute as little as a $1 (or much more if they like!) and the company will often match them up to a certain dollar amount. This allows an increasing number of people to receive assistance for their energy costs.

To donate, call the company at 1-800-688-4673. Please refer to Dominion Hope Heat Fund. Each person can make their own decision on how to go about this. They can make a one time contribution. This may be the most flexible as at any time a local person can contribute.

Recurring donations can also be made from a round up service. This automates the process, but it does need to be set up or canceled when the individual makes that decision. The money contributed to Dominion Hope Heat Fund may be a small dollar amount (or even cents) from the round up approach. While it may not seem like much, when hundreds of people do this the money adds up. It does make a difference in helping a struggling customer keep their power on.

While it may be easy for anyone to donate, to apply for energy bill help from Dominion Hope Heat Fund is an entirely different matter. The funds are limited, and the financial assistance is not just given to anyone who requests it. Applicants need to go through a screening process from the Salvation Army in West Virginia that will include a review of their income, past payments history of their heating/utility bills, and other steps.

 

 

 

 

 

Dominion Hope Heat Fund applicants will also need to show they are out of options. The utility assistance will help pay bills for people that have done everything else in their control first. They need to have used funding from LIHEAP, managed their temperature of their home efficiency, conserved energy, and more. Since the aid is very limited due to donations, there is a strict application process in place.

Also, the amount of contributions tend to increase during the fall and winter months. This tends to be when more people donate to charity programs such as Heat Fund. The end result is the possibility to receive financial support is greater during those periods of time. It will also be able to help a low income household keep their heat on to stay warm.