Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative Member to Member assistance.

In a crisis, and as a last resort, the Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative Member to Member program may be able to help qualified customers with their utility bills. It is a limited service as donations from the general public, including businesses and individuals, fund it. But it is one of the many offerings from NREC that can help pay a portion of an electric bill.

Money is collected from the community. It can be donated by any customer on a recurring basis. There are also fund raisers held throughout the year, and matching grants are also made by the company as well and its employees. All of this money is collected and paid out to income qualified customers. It has to be used only for paying utility bills and that is the primary condition to applying.

One of the reasons that many people contribute is that it is a local assistance program. The households that are assisted will be in the same community as where someone lives. So Member to Member in effect could be helping an elderly neighbor, or maybe someone facing an illness, keep their power on. Maybe the person being assisted is right down the street or in the same town as where the donor lives. This is where the Neighbor helping Neighbor concept comes into play.

Any dollar amount is also appreciated. Some people donate a few dollars per year through a round up service. Others may make a one time contribution of tens of dollars. No matter the amount, it will always make a difference in the life of a struggling family. In many cases, Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative will also match the contributions, and this is often done yearly.

The assistance program also provides tax benefits to donors. This means that for every dollar contributed to help a less fortunate household, the person can receive a deduction on both their state of Pennsylvania as well as federal government tax returns. Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative will also provide an annual statement that reflects this. This will help the person keep the proper records.

 

 

 

 

When applying for assistance for any utility bills, note that the program is very limited in capacity. It will only be able to help a small number of customers. Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative Member to Member will also focus on those people with a crisis that was not caused by them.

Assistance can be provided to senior citizens that are living on a fixed, low income. Or there may be funds for someone with a medical condition, such as an accident. The money that is issued from Member to Member will also only pay a portion of an energy bill and not the entire amount. The customer will need to pay the balance.

The customer service team at Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative can provide more information on Member to Member. This can include the income requirements for applying and what proof is needed. They can also explore any other assistance programs that may be available to them. The goal is to always help the customer keep their electricity on. While this is ultimately the customer's responsibility, there are instances in which the company can assist. The phone number is (800) 472-7910.