Alliant Energy Hometown Care Fund utility bill assistance

One of the energy bill assistance programs available to customers of Alliant Energy in Wisconsin is the resource known as Hometown Care Energy Fund. This fund was created as a result of both recurring as well as one time donations from the general public. Using these very generous contributions (which no one ever needs to donate too), the company is able to help a small number of deserving families pay their utility and/or heating bills.

This program shows the generosity of the community. There are a number of decent, hard-working people that donate their hard earned dollars to help pay the electric bills of the less fortunate. Additional contributions to Alliant Energy Hometown Care Energy Fund also come from local businesses, employees of Alliant Energy, churches, and many other groups.

No one needs to donate to the service. At the same time no struggling customer is “entitled” to receive assistance for paying their utility bills from it. This is true for both this program as well as others such as LIHEAP. Any financial aid given out to any person for paying some of their energy bills is above and beyond what is in fact required. Customers should keep this in mind when applying for energy bill help.

The funds paid out to income qualified customers is very limited. Alliant Energy Hometown Care Fund requires a formal application process for this donation program, and the service is run in partnership with local community action agencies. There may be utility bill assistance for some or all of the following scenarios (as funding allows).

• -The sick, elderly, and temporarily disabled may be some funds.
• -Parents facing a hardship with their child, such as unexpected medical bills, may get energy bill help.
• -Assistance may be given to a lower income senior citizen to keep their heat on if they are faced with a health crisis if they lose power.
• -Alliant Energy Hometown Care Energy Fund may assist with electric bills during a unexpected life crisis, such as death of spouse or divorce.

 

 

 

 

Those are examples, Other situations may be covered too from the donation service, but all applications are reviewed on a case by case basis.

As noted, Alliant Energy Hometown Care Energy Fund strictly runs on donations. But there may be some matching contributions from the company as well. So if say $1000 dollars are donated in a month, the company may match that up to 50%, and contribute an additional $500. So the funds come from many sources. Employees of the company may also contribute as well.

All of the money goes to help less fortunate customers pay their utility bills. It is short term aid to income qualified people who are faced with a temporary, exceptional hardship. This will help ensure that the funds are targeted to those who really could use it and will not abuse the program.

While no one ever needs to contribute to Alliant Energy, if someone where to decide to do that they can know their contribution will be used wisely. Donors can even get an income tax benefit as well. The service is targeted strictly at paying utility bills, and in general there may be hundreds of local Wisconsin families that benefit from it each year.

For more information on Alliant Energy Hometown Care Energy Fund, dial a community action agency, or try 211.