Pacific Power in California Project HELP utility bill donation program

Using donations from the community, and matching grants from Pacific Power, the utility company and its partners provide assistance to qualified customers facing a crisis. Project HELP is the main resource for doing this, and applications are administered locally by non-profits. The goal is to help people facing an unexpected emergency that was not caused by them, and if qualified, there may be funds available for assisting with past due bills.

There are different ways to donate to Project HELP. People across California can provide a one time, fixed donation, or they can decide to contribute on a monthly, recurring basis. Any dollar amount is greatly appreciated, whether it is $1 or $10, the money will be put to good use. There are also tax benefits for those that participate.

To contribute, contact Pacific Power, a Salvation Army center, or dial 1-888-221-7070. So there are a few different options available to consumers. If the fixed monthly contribution is selected, that specific dollar amount will be added to the person who is donating monthly utility bills. The company also passes out donation envelopes that people can use to contribute money. These are usually done a couple times per year, and make the process even easier to participate in.

For people that do donate, Pacific Power will provide matching grants in California. This will allow even more people to get assistance. Customers from the company, management, and others participate too in the grant process, and there are other fund raisers held by the company.

While the program terms may change, in general they will contribute $2 for every $1 donated by employees or customers to the Project HELP utility assistance programs in the California service areas. No matter how much is contributed by a household, it is more than likely tax deductible, as everything donated is considered charitable donations for tax purposes.

 

 

 

 

In the past, people have been generous in donating funds to the HELP program. The money will go to good use, and only those that qualify from a strict application process. The administrative costs will be paid by Pacific Power, so your money will not go to overhead expenses.

For those that need help, or more information, in California Project HELP is administered by the Salvation Army. They process all requests for assistance, review applications and ensure the money gets to those who are qualified and deserving. There are offices across the state and service area that can provide details to families.

To apply for help, call Pacific Power and refer to the program. Struggling customers who need utility or electric bill assistance themselves are always encouraged to talk with representatives from Pacific Power. They will provide information on HELP, or they may offer help with payment plans. Pacific Power’s customer service number is 888-221-7070.

In some cases, the customer service representatives may redirect the customer back to a local non-profit in their town or city, as applications are processed locally. But the call should be made before service is shut off.