Tampa Bay area assistance programs are working to keep up with demand this fall and winter as seniors grapple with the financial toll of the coronavirus pandemic.
Assistance payments from October to December are twice what they were over the same period last year from the federal Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program, according to Amber Bridges, a manager for the Pinellas Opportunity Council.
The program helps low-income seniors apply for up to $600 twice a year to cover heating or cooling bills, Bridges said in an email. After COVID-19 hit, the aid was bumped up to $3,500 once per year, she said.
So far this fall, the program has spent $68,123 helping 216 seniors pay off their bills — up from about $34,000 spent on helping 184 seniors last year, according to Bridges.
“Although the number served isn’t a drastic change ... the amount we paid is doubled, showing how much higher their bills have become,” Bridges wrote.
The organization has spent most of the money it received earlier this year from the federal CARES Act, with about $55,000 left to spend until Sept 30, 2021. But, if the need remains the same, those funds could run out by April, she wrote.
Bills could be higher for many reasons, Bridges wrote, including that many seniors are home all the time due to the pandemic and they’re using more electricity than ever. She said the program also serves many seniors between the ages of 60 and 65 who do not yet receive Social Security payments. Many have been laid off or stopped working to protect their health during the pandemic.
“They have no way to pay their bills and their electric bills just keep getting higher and higher due to non-payment until eventually they are turned off,” Bridges wrote.
Duke Energy Florida, which serves much of Pinellas County, is working with customers and connecting them with financial assistance and payment options, company spokeswoman Ana Gibbs said in an email.
“Many of our customers are facing unprecedented adversity during this pandemic,” Gibbs wrote. “We want to be thoughtful and provide options to avoid power interruptions during the pandemic.”
Duke recently started a pilot program focusing on customers who have not reconnected service by reaching out through texts and voice messages, Gibbs wrote. As of Nov. 25, about 500 customers had been contacted.
The company paused disconnections beginning on Dec. 10, she wrote. “As we head into the holiday season, we will continue to work with customers who are behind on their accounts and send disconnection notices. However, we will resume disconnecting services in January.”
Like Pinellas, Hillsborough has seen an increase in demand for services during the pandemic, including utility bill help for seniors, according to Audrey Ziegler, the county’s director of social services.
Tampa Electric, which serves much of Hillsborough County, offers payment extensions, according to Dana Wiederman, a spokeswoman for the company.
This week, Tampa Electric and TECO Peoples Gas announced the utility would donate $1 million to help customers struggling to pay their utility bills, Wiederman wrote. Customers who received aid from the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program or the federal Home Energy Assistance Program for the Elderly Program are eligible and will receive an $85 credit on their January bill.
For help with utility bills:
- Seniors may call the state Area Agencies on Aging at 1-800-963-5337.
- Duke Energy customers may call 800-700-8744 or visit duke-energy.com/ExtraTime.
- Tampa Electric customers may call 813-272-5900.
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