Laclede Gas Dollar-Help utility bill assistance.

One of the many utility bill assistance programs available from Laclede Gas Company is Dollar-Help (DHI). It can help families that are in some form of unusual, unexpected financial crisis pay their energy bills. The cash based aid available is the result of individual donations as well as matching corporate contributions.

Each year thousands of dollars will be paid out to a select number of qualified customers. There may be hundreds of households assisted each and every year, with an emphasis on people facing certain issues. They may include the sick, elderly with a health risk, families with ill children, and those who have used up all of their LIHEAP benefits. Others may also be assisted by Laclede Gas Dollar-Help, but there are no guarantees to receiving assistance.

Laclede Gas Dollar-Help allows Neighbors and Corporations to help Neighbors by donating. This is a core component of the program. It allows anyone that lives in the service territory to give back to the community in any dollar increment that they want to. All contributions stay local and can make a huge benefit in helping less fortunate, struggling families.

The entire Neighbor concept means that when donating (which is income tax deductible) the money stays local. It help pay utility bills of people facing a short term crisis and is not intended to subsidize anyone. So if a senior citizen has a missed/delayed social security check and can't pay their heating bill during the winter, Laclede Gas Dollar-Help may provide them some relief. Or if someone is stricken by cancer and they need some financial aid for their energy costs, a donation may help them.

There are many ways to donate to the service. People can Round Up a monthly utility bill. They can decide to hold a fund raiser or just volunteer on raising money from the community. Or one time checks are also appreciated as well. So the opportunities to give back are in fact extensive. Any dollar amount (or even cents from rounding up) can make a difference.

 

 

 

 

Applications

When seeking one time energy bill assistance from Laclede Gas Dollar-Help, the program will require various steps to be taken. Among them include, but are not limited, to the following. Bring proof of income; copies of identification and social security cards; LIHEAP denial letter or proof of benefits ending; doctor notes; etc. Bring whatever is relevant to the current financial solution.

Money is rarely, if ever, given out by Laclede Gas Dollar-Help. Instead what the company may more often do is to place a credit on the account. The value will be as much as the client qualifies for. But the amount of utility bill assistance is always limited as the donations that are used are limited. In fact the number of people assisted solely depend on those donations, so the program ebbs and flows over the course of the year.

In addition to this option, the company will explore other potential solutions. This may be payment plans, negotiated settlements, LIHEAP or weatherization, and much more. So all of those forms of assistance for utilities are used, along with the donations, to help the less fortunate. For more information or to apply, dial 211..