Grants of Up to $500 Still Available to Help Customers Pay Gas Bills
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LOS ANGELES – May 24, 2023 – Today SoCalGas announced that approximately $3 million dollars of the committed $6 million is still available in the company’s Gas Assistance Fund to support eligible customers in paying their natural gas bill. This year, over 10,000 SoCalGas customers have already benefitted from the Gas Assistance Fund, which helps income-qualified customers pay their natural gas bill with a one-time grant of up to $500. The company’s contribution to the Gas Assistance Fund in the 2022-2023 grant cycle was the largest in the fund’s 40-year history.
The Gas Assistance Fund is a joint effort between SoCalGas and United Way of Greater Los Angeles. Working with non-profit organizations throughout SoCalGas’s service territory, United Way of Greater Los Angeles helps income-qualified customers pay their natural gas bill with a one-time grant of up to $400 per household, up from $100 last year. If the eligible applicant or a household member is age 55 or older, an additional $100 is available – for a maximum grant of up to $500. Since the fund’s expansion, the average grant per household has been approximately $300. Full guidelines for qualification can be found at socalgas.com/GAF.
“Through a record $6 million donation to SoCalGas’s Gas Assistance Fund, over 10,000 families have applied and benefited from grants of up to $500 to help pay their gas bills. However, funds remain. To reach more customers who might need assistance with paying their bills, we expanded the eligibility requirements and encourage customers to visit our website to see if they now qualify,” said Gillian Wright, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer. “We also offer useful resources on energy conservation, assistance programs to manage energy consumption, and make energy-efficient home improvements to help lower customer bills.”
“Since 1983, the Gas Assistance Fund has helped over 240,000 Californians facing financial hardship afford basic necessities,” said Elise Buik, President & CEO at United Way of Greater Los Angeles. “With SoCalGas’s large contribution this year, United Way has dramatically expanded our reach to help thousands of individuals, older adults, and families across our region.”
“The expanded grants have been able to make a meaningful impact in the families we serve,” said Amy Zhao, Program Manager at Chinatown Service Center, a non-profit organization that assists customers with participation in the program. “Gas Assistance Fund grants play a crucial role in sparing our community from the agonizing decision of prioritizing between feeding their families or covering essential utility expenses.”
“Thanks to the partnership between SoCalGas and United Way of Greater Los Angeles, families have an opportunity to receive funds that ensure access to an essential utility,” said Senator Steven Bradford. “Six million dollars is a huge commitment to the community, and it’s great to see these two organizations come together and make a difference in the lives of some of our most vulnerable neighbors.”
In addition to the Gas Assistance Fund, SoCalGas offers other programs that can help qualified customers save money on their monthly gas bills. The Medical Baseline Allowance provides qualified customers additional natural gas at the baseline rate and the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) program can help eligible customers save 20% on their monthly gas bills. The free Ways to Save tool may also help customers find ways to save on natural gas bills, with a personalized savings plan that offers a household energy analysis, customized energy-efficiency recommendations, bill comparisons, and energy usage comparisons. Customers can also sign up for Bill Tracker Alerts to monitor gas consumption and take steps to reduce usage to avoid surprises on their bills. To see more programs that can help customers save money and energy, visit https://www.socalgas.com/save-money-and-energy.
For more information about the Gas Assistance Fund, visit socalgas.com/GAF.