Dayton Power & Light Gift of Power utility assistance

A partnership program known as Gift of Power was created by Dayton Power & Light, employees, management of the company, and local agencies such as the Salvation Army. The goal of this service is to raise donations from the community (as well as the company itself) and all of these contributions are given to struggling customers to help them pay their utility bills.

It is a safety net program, meaning that only when the customer has run out of all other options for paying their heating or utility bills may the resource help. The amount of aid is also small in scope, and may be a few dollars versus hundreds. All families need to have applied for assistance from other state and government programs first, such as LIHEAP. Only after that has been done may someone consider Dayton Power & Light Gift of Power.

The program will provide emergency financial assistance to low income families, people that are sick and other struggling individuals. The funds from the program will pay only a portion of what is due, and the client will need to come up with the balance of what they owe for their utilities. Due to the donation concept of this service, Dayton Power & Light Gift of Power is intended for people who are experiencing difficulty paying heating related bills.

Applications are processed on a first come and served basis until all of the donations run out, which is often very quickly. There will also be an intake/screening process in place to screen out fraud and/or abuse of the program. The goal is to ensure that only the most deserving people are able to get short term utility bill assistance. For those that need long term help as they have more sever challenges, those individuals will be given referrals to other benefits.

 

 

 

 

When applying, bring proof of income, residency, and details on a self-sufficiency plan. If the applicant was or has been enrolled into a program such as LIHEAP, they also need to bring that too. As noted, Dayton Power & Light Gift of Power is a program of last resort so proof of need is required. They will have an appointment made and that needs to be met.

The applicant will work closely with the staff to verify eligibility for assistance. Only after all of the terms and conditions have been met may money be provided to the customer or even their spouse. Since this program does rely on donations, there may be a waiting period before any funds are issued. This is mainly due to the time-frames involved in that those donations can run out, be delayed, and are limited.

Anyone can contribute. All donations may to Dayton Power & Light can be done monthly or on a one time basis. There are special envelopes that can be used, or a donor can decide to round up their monthly bill to the next highest dollar amount. Whether it is $1 given or someone donates $50, the money is used wisely. For more information on these options, dial 937-528-5145.

In most years, Dayton Power & Light will match these donations up to a certain dollar amount. They use corporate funds to do this, and the matching program allows even more people to get help for their monthly energy bills. For information on contributing to Dayton Power & Light Gift of Power or applying, call 937-528-5145.