GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Nov. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the side effects of
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita will be higher heating bills this winter. But
there is good news for those in need: The resources The Salvation Army has to
meet energy needs are rising as well.
Consumers Energy recently notified The Salvation Army that it will
increase its bill credit assistance for the PeopleCare program by $1 million,
from this year's $1.5 million to $2.5 million! Consumers Energy and The
Salvation Army joined forces in 1983 to create the PeopleCare program to
assist families and individuals struggling to make ends meet.
In 2004, additional PeopleCare donations from Consumers Energy customers
and employees totaled nearly $671,000. So far this year, the utility's
customers and employees have donated about $600,000.
Consumers Energy's increased commitment of $2.5 million and the donations
expected from its customers and employees bring the 2006 projected value of
the PeopleCare partnership to about $3.2 million.
Consumers Energy customers can support PeopleCare's work by calling the
utility's toll-free number - 800-477-5050 - and have a PeopleCare donation
added to their monthly bill. Or they can send donations at any time to:
PeopleCare
PO Box 27188
Lansing, MI 48909
In January, they can support PeopleCare by checking a box at the top of
their energy bills to have a PeopleCare donation added to their monthly bills.
They also can make a one-time donation of $5 by checking another box on the
January bills.
Consumers Energy supports The Salvation Army's work of helping those in
need in two ways: 1) The donated funds provide emergency assistance to
families and individuals in 36 communities in Michigan from Sturgis to
Cheboygan. 2) The bill credits that can be applied directly to customers'
bills based on The Salvation Army caseworker assessment and authorization.
Caseworkers can apply up to $200 in credits to clients' utility bills. When
funds from another source are available, caseworkers can use up to $500 in
bill credits to match those funds.
The partnership between Consumers Energy and The Salvation Army began in
1983 with the help of Major James Nauta, the current Divisional Commander of
the Western Michigan Northern Indiana Division's Grand Rapids-based office.
"The Salvation Army and Consumers Energy knew they had a good idea in 1983
when they formed the PeopleCare partnership. What we didn't realize at the
time is how much the program would grow and how much support it would provide
the Salvation Army in its work to help families and individuals in need,"
Major Nauta said.
"We are very concerned that families served by The Salvation Army will
experience large increases in utility costs which could result in crisis. The
PeopleCare initiatives, in partnership with Consumers Energy, were never more
needed."
Debra Harmon is responsible for Consumers Energy's low-income, senior
citizen, and special needs assistance programs. "PeopleCare's goal hasn't
changed since 1983: Help people in need. Over the past two decades,
PeopleCare has helped more than 260,000 households with quick, direct
assistance. Consumers Energy and its employees are proud to be partners in
PeopleCare and support the work of The Salvation Army to help our neighbors in
need," she said.
In addition to the Consumers Energy assistance, the Michigan Public
Service Commission (MPSC) provides The Salvation Army with Low Income Energy
Efficiency Funds (LIEE). The Salvation Army was awarded $4.5 million in LIEE
funds this month. That's the most The Salvation Army has received in its
five-year history working with MPSC!
Between the two programs, The Salvation Army estimates it will be able to
help more than 20,000 Michigan households with energy assistance this heating
season.
While these funds are significant, The Salvation Army's greatest concern
is that hundreds of households in need of emergency heating assistance this
winter may be denied help because of a lack of funds. Additional donations
still are needed to provide energy assistance help for families in need. To
make a local donation for heating assistance directly to The Salvation Army
call (800-SAL-ARMY) or go to http://www.salvationarmyusa.org to make an on-
line donation.
The Salvation Army is one of the oldest nonprofit organizations providing
social service assistance in the United States.
Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, provides natural
gas and electricity to more than six million of Michigan's 10 million
residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.
SOURCE The Salvation Army
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Related links:
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/203850.html
CONTACT:
Joan Kessler, Operations Coordinator,
Development of The Salvation Army, +1-616-459-3433, Fax
+1-616-356-1012
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