Consumers Energy Providing $3 Million to Help Michigan Residents with Energy Bills

(January 25, 2021 8:10 AM) Consumers Energy announced today it is helping Michigan residents through the cold winter with an additional $3 million to help with energy bills. In total, the company and its charitable foundation have provided $21 million to support customers and communities with needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are committed to making sure our friends and neighbors receive every bit of help during this extraordinary time,” said Brian Rich, Consumers Energy’s chief customer officer. “We expect our new $3 million contribution to seven Michigan nonprofits will help thousands of households continue to manage their bills while more Michiganders receive vaccinations and our state starts to fully reopen.”

Consumers Energy has taken extra steps to meet customers’ needs due to the pandemic. Customers can qualify for the new funding if they are at up to 400% of federal poverty guidelines.

The new assistance is provided through seven Michigan nonprofit organizations:

• United Way of Jackson County — $925,000
• TrueNorth Community Services — $925,000
• The Salvation Army — $675,000
• Michigan Veterans Trust Fund — $150,000
• United Way for Southeastern Michigan — $145,000
• The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) — $95,000
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul — $85,000

The best way for people to get help, including the new financial assistance Consumers Energy is announcing, is to call 2-1-1, a free service that connects people with nonprofit agencies in their communities. If a Consumers Energy customer is struggling to pay a bill, they also can call 800-477-5050.

The new $3 million contribution is the latest way Consumers Energy has worked to help customers and communities since the pandemic started. Other examples:

• $12 million that helped over 40,000 households and small businesses with energy bills
• $5.4 million from the company’s charitable foundation for Michigan nonprofits, including nearly $2.5 million to support small businesses.
• $850,000 in matching gift cards for shopping at local businesses across Michigan.

Consumers Energy also works to keep energy costs low for customers. Customers should pay 20% less for natural gas this year compared to a decade ago, or less than $2.30 per day.