Hot Weather Melting Your Savings? Can’t Afford The High Utility Bills?
The PAGE program can help you with up to $1,500 in Annual Assistance!
NEPTUNE, NEW JERSEY – As New Jersey tries to dig itself out of the economic hole this pandemic put us in, blistering weather has forced most of us to crank up the A/C at home. Read on for information on the AHA’s PAGE Program Assistance!
This doesn’t come cheap, though. Especially at a time when we have one of the highest recorded unemployment rates since the state began reporting the numbers in 1976, at 13.8%.
Many of these affected households, fearing having to choose between feeding their families and paying for their utility bills, turned to the Affordable Housing Alliance (AHA) for help.
The AHA offers the Payment Assistance for Gas & Electric (PAGE) program, which is uniquely designed to help moderate-income NJ families who are struggling to pay for their natural gas and electric bills.
Last year alone, AHA distributed over $4 million of PAGE funds to thousands of households throughout New Jersey, processing over 13,000 applications and handling over 50,000 phone calls from families and individuals seeking financial assistance.
This year, the applications for energy assistance keep pouring in, but our dedicated team of professionals has been working uninterruptedly throughout the pandemic to make sure everyone gets the help they so desperately need — sooner rather than later. We even hired additional staff members to assist with the large number of applications coming in every day.
According to the Labor Department, 628,800 New Jerseyans are still out of work in the state due to the outbreak and the ensuing mass shuttering of businesses and steep drops in consumer spending, leaving the Garden state on the verge of an unprecedented housing and economic crisis.
We’re worried that thousands of New Jersey residents have likely accumulated high energy bills during this period, so once the utility companies start seeking collection or disconnecting services, struggling households may be at risk of losing their gas or electric service unless a payment is made.
This situation could be avoided if you qualify for a PAGE grant, in which a family of four making $118,440/year could be eligible to receive up to $1,500 in annual assistance!
The PAGE program also allows for any household in New Jersey to apply for assistance from the comfort of their home, simply by visiting NJPowerOn.org.
In addition to the PAGE program, the AHA processes applications for the Gift of Warmth and the ACE Helping Hands programs, which are offered to New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) and Atlantic City Electric (ACE) customers, respectively.The AHA is also the designated agency in Monmouth County to process the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
Additionally, the AHA offers a number of housing and financial counseling services for New Jersey residents, with a special focus on assisting those financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit housingall.org for more information.
Remember, if you think you could be eligible to benefit from any of the energy assistance programs offered at the AHA, don’t wait! The bills will just keep piling on and you may risk getting your service disconnected once the utility companies start asking for payments.
Let us help you be in a position where you don’t have to choose between feeding your family and paying for your natural gas or electric bills.
Who is eligible for the PAGE program?
If you are a New Jersey resident who rents or owns a home and are not currently receiving USF or HEA, are facing a crisis situation that includes a documented notice of overdue payment for gas and/or electric service, and have a past history of making regular payments towards their utility bills—you may qualify.
Thousands of NJ residents apply every year. You can learn more at NJPowerOn.org.
The Affordable Housing Alliance’s mission is to improve the quality of life for all New Jersey residents by developing and preserving affordable housing, providing services to maintain housing affordability, providing housing education, and through helping communities meet their legal and moral housing obligations.
When you give to the Affordable Housing Alliance (AHA), you are helping us continue our more than 20-year commitment to providing homes and services to individuals and families in the communities we live in. Your donation today to the AHA can help make homeownership a reality and improve the quality of life for families and individuals in New Jersey. Gifts can support our general fund, a specific program, or a special project, such as a playground or community room for children. Donate today to the AHA and give the gift of being home.
