Athens Utilities Board Warm Neighbors utility assistance

When facing an unexpected crisis, the Athens Utilities Board Warm Neighbors program is one option. Using donations from the community, as well as matching cash grants from the company itself, customers ranging from the sick and elderly to families in a one time crisis may receive help.

There are various components to this service, as indicated below. Whether someone wants to donate to help a less fortunate family in Tennessee out, or apply for energy bill assistance, then resources may be provided in some limited situations.

Donations – Athens Utilities Board (AUB) as well as some of its non-profit partner agencies collect contributions from the community. The money is used to fund the Warm Neighbors service. Any dollar amount is always appreciated, and all money goes for paying utility bills for the needy and not administrative costs.

The contributions can be made as one off type arrangements, or a recurring operation round up type service can be used. The person who is contributing will usually be able to claim a tax benefit on this donation as well. This means that if they contribute say $50 per year, and they pay about 30% of their total income in state and/or federal government taxes, they will receive as much as a $15 deduction for helping someone with their utility bills.

If contributing to Athens Utilities Board Warm Neighbors, the donor has total control. They can stop the process, or decrease/increase the amount at any time. As noted, the company will ensure that all of the funds go for paying the electric bills of the most vulnerable customers in the service area.

Seeking Assistance from Warm Neighbors – Athens Utilities Board uses this donation program to target a limited number of households and it can help them pay a small portion of their bills. The focus is on those customers that are faced with an unexpected crisis that they did not cause. This may be a shut off of their power as they can't pay the utility bill due to a medical crisis, sick child, or short term disability.

If a customer needs more long term support, such as government aid, then Warm Neighbors is not the program for them. However the customer service staff at Athens Utilities Board can refer the person to some other resources, such as LIHEAP.

 

 

 

Warm Neighbors is focused in particular on the cooler or hotter stretches of weather. So there may be additional funding during the winter months for paying heating bills during that period, especially for a senior citizen. Or a home with a sick child that is facing a cut off of their electricity during the hot summers months may be able to receive help for their utility bill at that time from AUB Warm Neighbors.

For more information or details, dial 1-888-745-8845.