Help With Heating

By Rachel Haberman, Energy Share MT

Cold weather is coming and heating bills can pile up fast. Are you or someone you know worried about how to pay those bills?

Energy Share of Montana is a private, nonprofit organization whose main purpose is to help Montanans facing energy emergencies. An “energy emergency” usually means someone facing loss of heat or lights in their home due to unforeseen circumstances or issues beyond their control, and who have no resources to pay that bill themselves.

Energy Share helps people from all walks of life: Senior citizens, veterans, unemployed or under-employed, families facing financially-challenging circumstances, and more. One example is “Susan”, an elderly woman with multiple medical issues. She wasn’t able to keep up with all her bills, so Energy Share helped with her home energy costs.

Energy Share partners with Action for Eastern Montana (AEM) in Glendive to process applications. A local Energy Share Committee, members of which are bound by confidentiality agreements, works with AEM to review applications. Within contractual guidelines from Energy Share they determine who will receive assistance.

Because Energy Share is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, donations are welcome and are tax-deductible. 100% of your gift is used to help someone in need – none of it goes to administrative expenses. This is possible because electric cooperatives, utility companies and large electric users also support Energy Share. In some cases these corporate donors direct Energy Share to use a percentage of their contribution for overhead costs.

To learn more about Energy Share and where to apply, contact AEM at 406-377-3564 or http://www.aemt.org. You can also visit http://www.energysharemt.com or call 1-888-779-7589 for more details on how to donate.