Utility Bill Assistance

 

 

Fayetteville Public Works People Who Care utility assistance

In an emergency, Fayetteville Public Works Commission People Who Care may be able to assist very low income families. Most of the aid is the result of donations, including both one time and a “Round Up” service. In addition, the assistance to pay for the energy bills will focus on senior citizens, disabled, and families with no other options available to them.

Fayetteville Public Works Commission works with partners in the North Carolina community such as the Salvation Army. Some of them include community action or DSS. These partners collect donations to People Who Care, they the review applications from the public, and otherwise ensure the money gets to the most needy. Without the support of many of these partner groups the effectiveness of Fayetteville Public Works Commission People Who Care would be much more limited.

There has been an effort to make the application process as streamlined as possible. Also, any decision on whether to provide assistance for unpaid utility bills will be made within days....not weeks. This is a key differentiator from the program, as federal programs like LIHEAP tend to take much more time. So the time around aid being issued is shorter.

Note that the number of people that are able to be assisted is limited. The budget is small, and money tends to run out quickly. This is mostly the result of the fact it is a donation service. In addition to that, the number of requests from the service territory is always very high. This further constrains the number of people that can be assisted.

Fayetteville Public Works Commission People Who Care was initiated years ago. The original terms and conditions were to provide emergency, short term help for utilities. There is a focus on winter heating and gas bills. Another use of the money is to pay for air conditioning costs during the summer, as a senior citizen could even be faced with heat stroke if they lose their electricity.

 

 

 

 

 

Following the initial genesis of the program, agencies collect donations from the community. There are also contributions made from management of Public Works, employees, and local charities. All of this is then combined into one larger “pool” of money for less fortunate families. People can decide to round up their monthly payment as well, with the balance serving as a tax free donation.

Assistance is only available once the customer has used up any money they have from LIHEAP. They also need to have enrolled into weatherization in the past, and explored all other local agency programs. So People Who Care is a program of last resort.

When applying to the Fayetteville Public Works People Who Care donation program, in order to get the money in less time, be prepared. Applicants should have all their paperwork in order. This includes income, copies of utility bills, and proof of LIHEAP. If they have a disability or are elderly, they need proof of age and condition too. Once all this is ready to go, call 910-483-8119 to seek more information on Fayetteville Public Works Commission People Who Care.

 

By: Jon McNamara

 

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