Paying your electric bills isn’t always as easy as it seems, especially when finances are tight. Luckily there are quite a few organizations and assistance programs out there that might be able to help single mothers. Below we’ll cover some of the most useful programs and initiatives.
LIHEAP Energy Assistance Programs for single moms
LIHEAP, the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program runs across the majority of states and territories in the U.S., providing families and individuals in need of assistance towards their home energy bills. You may be eligible to receive assistance with paying your heating and cooling service costs if you meet LIHEAP eligibility requirements. For more information and to apply for assistance, please visit your local or state LIHEAP office. If you need help with the application process, you can call the toll-free contact center on 866-674-6327. Alternatively, you can call the Department for Children and Families, administrator of LIHEAP, on 202-401-9351 or visit the website for more information.
Weatherization Assistance Programs for single mothers
The U.S. Department of Energy provides WAP assistance which aims to help low-income community members in making their homes energy efficient. The DOE provides States with the funding needed to provide resources to community action agencies, local governments, and non-profits, which in turn provide the program across all States and Territories of the U.S. Families and individuals aged 60 years and older are given preference when applying for assistance, but for full details and eligibility requirements, you can visit the website.
Utility Companies that offer grants for single mothers
There are a lot of utility companies that provide assistance with the payment of electric bills. A good example of companies like these would be NJ Universal Service Fund. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities owned company can help lower your electric service bills if you are a low-income consumer. They can be contacted on 1-800-510-3102, or may be visited at any one of their 16 walk-in Customer Service Centers.
Just like this initiative, there are many utility companies that provide single mother assistance, discounts, or flexible payment plans for their customers. Call your provider and find out if they offer these single mother services.
Local Charities and Community Action Groups that offer single mother grants
CAAs (Community Action Agencies) are public and private organizations that aim to help low-income single moms, individuals and families become financially independent. With roughly 1,000 CAAs located across America, all states and territories are served by these non-profit groups. To find your nearest Community Action Agency, contact the CAA Head Office on 202-265-7546 or visit their website for more information on single mother assistance.
Other action groups that might be able to assist you with grants for electric service bills include:
Society of St. Vincent De Paul
Energy Efficient Mortgage Insurance
The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development offers an Energy Efficient Mortgage Insurance program that helps those that own real estate to save money on their utility bills. Essentially, the program provides individuals and families with loans to install energy efficient features into their homes, as part of the Federal Housing Administration refinancing mortgage or insured home purchase. For more information regarding eligibility requirements and application process for the EEM program, please visit the HUD website or call the Federal Housing Administration office on 1-800-225-5342 for information on single mother assistance.
FHA PowerSaver Home Energy Retrofit Loan Program
The FHA PowerSaver Homer Energy RLPP works on much the same principle as the EEM Program listed above. The program provides loans for consumers to install energy efficient features into their homes, which help them in lowering the cost of their utility bills. To enquire about applying for the FHA Powersaver program, you’ll have to get in touch with a lender who participates in the program and is approved by the FHA. Contact details for lenders can be found here. For more information about the program, visit the HUD’s website or call the office on 1-800-225-5342.
As you can see, there are many organizations and programs aimed at helping low-income single mothers pay their electric bills and assist them in lowering the cost of their electric services.