NIPSCO Gift of Warmth utility assistance programs

Donations, partnerships and corporate funds pay for the NIPSCO Gift of Warmth utility bill assistance program. The service was created as a last resort, to help customers pay their bills when they have no other options available. This means that any LIHEAP energy bill grants as well as charitable programs needs to have been used up before Gift of Warmth will assist.

This particular program is paid for using donations from the community. There is money raised from a number of sources; really any person or business can contribute if/when they want. Most of the contributions come from:

• -Individuals using a Round Up or one time donation service, and that operates monthly.
• -Corporate matching contributions.
• -Employees of Northern Indiana Public Service Company may also donate some of their paycheck to help customers pay their energy bills.
• Non-profits help raise money for Gift of Warmth as they also want to help the less fortunate pay their utilities.

Other groups and/or individuals can also contribute. There are no restrictions. In fact, the benefits to donating are extensive. They include tax deductions; all of the funds stay local to help customers pay their light and electric bills; 100% of the money raised goes to the program; and it does make a difference. More information on the contact information to NIPSCO Gift of Warmth is below.

When it comes to applying for financial aid from the program, this of course is limited and comes with restrictions. There will only be a small number of customers assisted each year. It numbers in the dozens or hundreds…not thousands.

 

 

 

 

While 100% of the money raised per above is used to pay energy bills, it is only for qualified low income customers who are facing a crisis. They need to be out of all other options as noted above, including used up all of the federal programs out there. In addition, NIPSCO Gift of Warmth will only pay a small amount of money for a bill, as funds are limited.

All applicants need to be customer of Northern Indiana Public Service Company. They need to have proof of income, residency, and identification for all family members. There also needs to be proof of the crisis being faced, as the money is for an emergency only. Be prepared to go through this application process, which is extensive and may ask for other documentation as well.

Most of the donations will be paid out in the form of credits too. So direct cash is not paid out from Gift of Warmth. The credit will be used to offset a portion of the utility bill, and it can allow power/electric to stay on for a defined period of time. So the credit reduces the balance of the current bill(s).

For more information on this service, call a social service agency. Ask about NIPSCO Gift of Warmth, whether donating or applying for assistance.