The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has made changes to a program geared at helping customers pay bills when faced with financial hardship.
The BPU’s Johnson Memorial Trust/BPU Good Neighbor Fund is intended to help working customers with BPU bills, should sudden troubles prevent them from paying utilities on time.
Customers who pay or attempt to pay BPU bills regularly, who receive no social services assistance for utility bills and who experience a sudden hardship may now be eligible for help through the fund.
Customers that believe they qualify should contact the Salvation Army at 664-4108 to make an appointment. The Salvation Army will verify the hardship with the applicant, and then contact the BPU to validate the payment history.
Previously, the Fund did not assist anyone on government help. Customers on Social Security, Food Stamps, or HEAP now may qualify if they have attempted to maintain a regular payment record at the BPU. Anyone with a good payment record may be eligible, regardless of income.
Help from the Fund is capped at $250 a year per BPU account.
For more information, call the BPU at 661-1680. Appointments for applications must be made by calling the Salvation Army at 664-4108.
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