About two weeks ago a group of New Jersey utility companies, working with state officials and nonprofits, held an online forum for the purpose of “connecting community partners with payment assistance programs.”
For those community partners who were unable to attend and for others, the organizers have released the official Utility Assistance Summit presentation. Click here to download the PDF file. It is a useful tool for other energy advocates, County Welfare Agencies, nonprofits, local government officials, and of course energy consumers in New Jersey.
Remarks were given by Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver and Joseph Fiordaliso, President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Presentations were given by the Department of Community Affairs, Division of Aging Services, Board of Public Utilities, Affordable Housing Alliance, and New Jersey SHARES.
The downloadable presentation provides detailed information on many vital energy assistance and senior programs, covering the following programs:
- Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)
- Universal Service Fund (USF)
- Fresh Start
- Winter Termination Program
- PAGE
- Communications Lifeline
- Local New Jersey water programs
- NJSave
- Lifeline Utility Assistance Program
- Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD)
- Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program
- Hearing Aid Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (HAAAD)
- NJ Hearing Aid Project
- SLMB and SLMB QI-1
For addditional information on the senior programs, see the Division of Aging Services Program Guide. See blog posts dated October 5, and October 21 for related articles. Links to the programs mentioned at the Utility Assistance Summit can be found in the NJ Energy Programs page and the Public Benefits Corner of the NJ Community Resources page, all here on this website.
Michael Swayze's Community Resources 