Utilities Assistance
Some people are occasionally unable to afford bills for necessary utilities, like heating, electricity, phone, or water. We provide help and assistance to ensure that future bills are paid and properly accounted for in a monthly budget.
The Friends of St. Nicholas will work with you to negotiate payment plans with utility companies, and apply for programs from Catholic Charities, PA Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), PPL Winter Relief Assistance Program, UGI Operation Share, and others. In limited cases, we can help pay a portion of back payments in order to get your household onto a payment plan.
Utilities Assistance
PPL Electric:
- 800-358-6623
- PPLelectric.com
- ONTRACK-Lower fixed monthly payment plan and debt forgiveness if past-due balance
Met-Ed:
- 800-545-7741
- firstenergycorp/met_edison.html
UGI:
- 800-276-2722
- UGI.com
- 800-844-9274 (Customer Assistance Program)
LIHEAP: Low Income Energy Assistance Program.
- Apply online. Usually November to April. Apply early.
- DHS.PA.gov/Services/Assistance/Pages/LIHEAP.aspx
LIHWAP: Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program
- The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is a temporary emergency program to
help low-income families pay overdue water bills. LIHWAP is a grant. You do not have to repay it. - LIHWAP crisis grants may be available if you have an emergency situation and are in jeopardy of losing
your water service. You can receive one crisis grant for your drinking water service and one crisis grant
for your wastewater service, up to $2,500 each. Crisis situations include:- Past-due water bills
- Termination of utility service
- Danger of having utility service terminated (received notice that service will be shut off within next 60 days).
- Apply online: www.Compass.state.pa.us
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC)
- puc.pa.org
- 1-800-692-7380
- Before contacting the PUC:
- Contact your utility for help
- Call LIHEAP
- Contact PUC
Phone & Internet
Lifeline Assistance Program
- obamaphone.com
- Federal government provides free cell phones, voice minutes and texting to anyone who qualifies for any federal assistance such as Medicaid, food stamps, SSI, etc.
Affordable Connectivity Program
- AffordableConnectivity.gov
- The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a U.S. government program run by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program to help low-income households pay for internet service and connected devices like a laptop or tablet-apply online.
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