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Genova Garlitz was recently helped by the UCAN energy assistance program when she fell behind in her electric bills at her home near Winston. UCAN has recently tweaked the program so that they can help people with shut-off notices immediately.
So you know ...
Low-income people with final shut-off notices on their power bills may walk in from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday to get immediate help at Umpqua Community Action Network, 280 Kenneth Ford Drive, Roseburg.
They need to bring the shut-off notice, a Social Security card for every member of their household and proof of income for the last month.
Others who need help paying utility bills may call UCAN’s energy line at 492-3535 or (800) 301-8226, ext. 3535. They will need to leave a name and number. A UCAN employee will return their call to set up an appointment.
They need to bring the shut-off notice, a Social Security card for every member of their household and proof of income for the last month.
Others who need help paying utility bills may call UCAN’s energy line at 492-3535 or (800) 301-8226, ext. 3535. They will need to leave a name and number. A UCAN employee will return their call to set up an appointment.
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ENLARGE
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Annalee Baisden looks over a $707 electric biil for her daughter Genova Garlitz’s mobile home at the UCAN office in Roseburg on Tuesday. UCAN was able to help with the bill and back payments on the electric bill accrued by Garlitz.
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ENLARGE
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Annalee Baisden wipes a tear while talking about electric bills for her daughter Genova Garlitz’s mobile home at the UCAN office in Roseburg on Tuesday.
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Genova Garlitz has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. So she lives tethered to an oxygen tank, 24/7.
But when her heating bills suddenly went sky high last fall, she started worrying her literal lifeline, the one to her oxygen, would be cut off because she couldn’t afford to pay her power bill.
But through a program that helps pay utility bills, her power company has been kept at bay, for now.
Garlitz is one of a growing number of people finding they can’t afford to pay their utility bills. In response, Roseburg-based Umpqua Community Action Network has set up a system where those with final shut-off notices can get immediate help.
Since March 2, they can now walk into the office right off Northeast Stephens Street from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. That same morning, they will be seen by an intake worker who will help them make arrangements to pay their bills, and to keep their power on.
On a recent morning, about a dozen people waited in UCAN’s front lobby, filling every seat. Several small children played with Legos piled in boxes in a corner of the lobby.
“We were thinking this is going to be better for the clients,” said Faye Pekas, emergency services supervisor at UCAN, about the new system. The agency also was fortunate enough to receive an extra $1.5 million in funding this year that helped make the expedited system possible.
All told, UCAN expects it will help about 10,000 households pay their utility bills this year through the program, about twice as many people as the nonprofit helped in this way last year. About half of the households helped will be in Josephine County, which UCAN also serves.
But when her heating bills suddenly went sky high last fall, she started worrying her literal lifeline, the one to her oxygen, would be cut off because she couldn’t afford to pay her power bill.
But through a program that helps pay utility bills, her power company has been kept at bay, for now.
Garlitz is one of a growing number of people finding they can’t afford to pay their utility bills. In response, Roseburg-based Umpqua Community Action Network has set up a system where those with final shut-off notices can get immediate help.
Since March 2, they can now walk into the office right off Northeast Stephens Street from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. That same morning, they will be seen by an intake worker who will help them make arrangements to pay their bills, and to keep their power on.
On a recent morning, about a dozen people waited in UCAN’s front lobby, filling every seat. Several small children played with Legos piled in boxes in a corner of the lobby.
“We were thinking this is going to be better for the clients,” said Faye Pekas, emergency services supervisor at UCAN, about the new system. The agency also was fortunate enough to receive an extra $1.5 million in funding this year that helped make the expedited system possible.
All told, UCAN expects it will help about 10,000 households pay their utility bills this year through the program, about twice as many people as the nonprofit helped in this way last year. About half of the households helped will be in Josephine County, which UCAN also serves.
Thinking about living without electricity
On March 4, Genova Garlitz became one of the many people helped through the program, explained Garlitz’s mother, Annalee Baisden, in a recent interview at the UCAN office.
Because of her medical condition, Garlitz is largely confined to her Winston-area mobile home. To help out with rent, Baisden moved her motor home onto Garlitz’s property.
Last October, Garlitz’s utility bills suddenly shot up from about $300 a month to between $550 and $600 a month. Garlitz went to her landlord to see if he could send someone out to check the heating system. But the landlord didn’t agree to the request.
Baisden also started calling UCAN to see if it could help with the bills. “They weren’t available or I called and there wasn’t any funding,” she recalled.
And she started thinking about how to get her daughter through the winter without electricity, if it came to that. She figured maybe she would park her motor home next to Garlitz’s mobile home and hook up Garlitz’s oxygen system to a generator in her motor home.
“And then we’d have to find somebody with some muscle to hook it up,” said the slight Baisden, smiling ruefully as tears seeped out the corner of her eyes.
By February, Garlitz’s utility bill had risen to $1,347. The power company had said it would cut off Garlitz’s power if she didn’t pay $707 of the bill by Feb. 23.
“For some reason, they didn’t make it out,” Baisden said, wiping her eyes with a facial tissue. The reprieve was enough time for Baisden to take advantage of UCAN’s new walk-in service. She walked in March 4. That day, UCAN pledged $1,100 toward Garlitz’s bill.
“I’m just so thankful we got in,” Baisden said. “I think it’s great. I can’t express our appreciation enough.”
As for a long-term fix, Garlitz has applied to take advantage of UCAN’s weatherization program. So hopefully people with that program can find, and fix, whatever is causing Garlitz’s heating bills to soar.
In the meantime, because of Garlitz’s medical needs, UCAN may be able to offer her additional help paying her power bills.
“I am sure there are other people out there that are in as bad as circumstances or worse,” Baisden said. “I’m sure they do the best they can with what they have.”
20 people a day need help
The new same-day service for people with shut-off notices UCAN has instituted is designed to help people before their power gets turned off, Pekas said.
Under its previous system, people with shut-off notices would call in to an energy hotline. They would leave their name and number and UCAN workers would call them back as soon as possible.
They would usually get an appointment within a few days. But sometimes they didn’t, and they might lose their power in the meantime. Other days, “sometimes 100 people in a day would leave a message and we’d have to close the line,” Pekas recalled.
But now they can come in and get help that morning. She said as many as 32 people have shown up a day. The average is about 20.
UCAN also helps other low-income people pay their utility bills before they get shut-off notices. They may call an energy line and leave their name and number. A UCAN employee then calls them back to set up an appointment.
Angela Schlacht, an emergency service coordinator, said those appointments are running about a week out right now, but could be up to a month away.
Money from many sources
The money to help people pay their utility bills comes from several sources. People must meet income qualifications to qualify for any of them.
One is a federal program called the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, or LIEAP. It offers help to anyone who meets its income guidelines.
Another is the Oregon Energy Assistance Program, funded by a charge that all Pacific Power customers pay on their monthly bills. It is only available to those who have a past-due or disconnect notice. Avista Utilities offers two programs to its customers, as well.
On average, people receive one-time assistance of $300 a year, or half that much if they live in subsidized housing, Pekas said. They also may be eligible for additional emergency funds. UCAN has set a limit of providing a maximum of $1,100 a year per household, in most circumstances.
As part of the LIEAP program, low-income folks who own their homes also may be eligible for up to $2,000 a year to fix or replace their furnaces.
This year, UCAN received $3 million — twice as much money as last year — through LIEAP. Part of that went to hire an extra intake worker to help make it possible to see people with shut-off notices immediately.
The funding is expected to be enough to help about 2,000 more households in Douglas County, Pekas said. Once the funding runs out, no more assistance will be available until the program starts again Oct. 1.
“It’s a very, very valuable, very valuable resource,” she said. “So many people are living on such small amounts. If they’re living on (Social Security or Supplemental Security Income), this gets them through the winter months,” she said.
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
On March 4, Genova Garlitz became one of the many people helped through the program, explained Garlitz’s mother, Annalee Baisden, in a recent interview at the UCAN office.
Because of her medical condition, Garlitz is largely confined to her Winston-area mobile home. To help out with rent, Baisden moved her motor home onto Garlitz’s property.
Last October, Garlitz’s utility bills suddenly shot up from about $300 a month to between $550 and $600 a month. Garlitz went to her landlord to see if he could send someone out to check the heating system. But the landlord didn’t agree to the request.
Baisden also started calling UCAN to see if it could help with the bills. “They weren’t available or I called and there wasn’t any funding,” she recalled.
And she started thinking about how to get her daughter through the winter without electricity, if it came to that. She figured maybe she would park her motor home next to Garlitz’s mobile home and hook up Garlitz’s oxygen system to a generator in her motor home.
“And then we’d have to find somebody with some muscle to hook it up,” said the slight Baisden, smiling ruefully as tears seeped out the corner of her eyes.
By February, Garlitz’s utility bill had risen to $1,347. The power company had said it would cut off Garlitz’s power if she didn’t pay $707 of the bill by Feb. 23.
“For some reason, they didn’t make it out,” Baisden said, wiping her eyes with a facial tissue. The reprieve was enough time for Baisden to take advantage of UCAN’s new walk-in service. She walked in March 4. That day, UCAN pledged $1,100 toward Garlitz’s bill.
“I’m just so thankful we got in,” Baisden said. “I think it’s great. I can’t express our appreciation enough.”
As for a long-term fix, Garlitz has applied to take advantage of UCAN’s weatherization program. So hopefully people with that program can find, and fix, whatever is causing Garlitz’s heating bills to soar.
In the meantime, because of Garlitz’s medical needs, UCAN may be able to offer her additional help paying her power bills.
“I am sure there are other people out there that are in as bad as circumstances or worse,” Baisden said. “I’m sure they do the best they can with what they have.”
20 people a day need help
The new same-day service for people with shut-off notices UCAN has instituted is designed to help people before their power gets turned off, Pekas said.
Under its previous system, people with shut-off notices would call in to an energy hotline. They would leave their name and number and UCAN workers would call them back as soon as possible.
They would usually get an appointment within a few days. But sometimes they didn’t, and they might lose their power in the meantime. Other days, “sometimes 100 people in a day would leave a message and we’d have to close the line,” Pekas recalled.
But now they can come in and get help that morning. She said as many as 32 people have shown up a day. The average is about 20.
UCAN also helps other low-income people pay their utility bills before they get shut-off notices. They may call an energy line and leave their name and number. A UCAN employee then calls them back to set up an appointment.
Angela Schlacht, an emergency service coordinator, said those appointments are running about a week out right now, but could be up to a month away.
Money from many sources
The money to help people pay their utility bills comes from several sources. People must meet income qualifications to qualify for any of them.
One is a federal program called the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, or LIEAP. It offers help to anyone who meets its income guidelines.
Another is the Oregon Energy Assistance Program, funded by a charge that all Pacific Power customers pay on their monthly bills. It is only available to those who have a past-due or disconnect notice. Avista Utilities offers two programs to its customers, as well.
On average, people receive one-time assistance of $300 a year, or half that much if they live in subsidized housing, Pekas said. They also may be eligible for additional emergency funds. UCAN has set a limit of providing a maximum of $1,100 a year per household, in most circumstances.
As part of the LIEAP program, low-income folks who own their homes also may be eligible for up to $2,000 a year to fix or replace their furnaces.
This year, UCAN received $3 million — twice as much money as last year — through LIEAP. Part of that went to hire an extra intake worker to help make it possible to see people with shut-off notices immediately.
The funding is expected to be enough to help about 2,000 more households in Douglas County, Pekas said. Once the funding runs out, no more assistance will be available until the program starts again Oct. 1.
“It’s a very, very valuable, very valuable resource,” she said. “So many people are living on such small amounts. If they’re living on (Social Security or Supplemental Security Income), this gets them through the winter months,” she said.
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
