LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has announced that $54.5 million have been distributed to nine community service agencies in the state to help residents cover heat and energy costs this winter.
“With winter just around the corner, we have to work together to put Michigan families first by helping them stay safe and warm,” says Governor Whitmer. “Thanks to these grants provided under the Michigan Energy Assistance Program, we can help working families in Michigan from Macomb to Marquette get the help they need with electric bills, heat, natural gas, propane, or any other fuel that helps them say safe and warm.”
The governor adds, “If you need help with your bills this winter, I urge you to look into the resources we have available. Call 211 or go to mi211.org for more information."
We're told recipients of the Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP)
grant include Barry County United Way ($150,000), the Heat and Warmth Fund ($6.7 million), and The Salvation Army ($11.3 million).
“No Michiganders should go without heat this year, and we urge anyone having trouble paying their home heating bills not to wait and to reach out for help now,” says Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) Chair Dan Scripps. “In addition to home heating bill assistance, many Michigan utilities offer flexible payment plans, including ones that spread out the higher costs of home heating year round to reduce the burden when the temperatures drop.”
The state advises residents to save energy by cleaning furnace filters, installing programmable thermostats, dressing for frigid weather, sealing leaks around doors and windows, and scheduling a home energy assessment.
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