Last month, Clark Public Utilities allocated $3.294 million to local families impacted by COVID-19. Funds were provided to the utility from Clark County through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES). The utility helped pay overdue balances of 11,665 recipients in the county.
“I think CARES went fantastically,” Clark Public Utilities Media Specialist Dameon Pesanti said, mentioning that the average amount applied to individual accounts was $282.62.
To qualify for CARES funds, utility customers must have had an active residential utility account with a balance of 30 or more days past due with the cause of late payment being financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic. Customers who applied for funds and fit the criteria were eligible for up to $500 in funding.
The utility originally received $2 million in CARES funds as a “test run” with the prospect of getting an additional $2 million. By the end of November, the utility had the ability to hand out $4 million in CARES money. While the utility was unable to give out all $4 million in funding, Pesanti explained that he and the utility were “exceptionally proud” of the work they were able to do in such a short amount of time.
“We had very short notice (to hand out the funding) and a team representing departments all across the utility came together and worked many long hours to put this plan together for distributing funds,” Pesanti said. “The fact that we distributed $3.3 million to more than 11,000 people, we are very pleased with those results.”
While customers can no longer apply for CARES funding for economic relief, the utility has a multitude of other financial assistance programs open. According to Pesanti, Clark Public Utilities changed the requirements for financial assistance programs near the beginning of the pandemic to make it easier and quicker for customers to apply for assistance funding. Pesanti said many of the financial programs also saw an increase in the amount of funds available in programs such as the Senior Rate Credit Program (SRC), Operation Warm Heart and more.
For programs such as SRC and Operation Warm Heart, applicants must have a home heated by electricity as well as fitting into more specific criteria. However, Pesanti said people should never hesitate to reach out if they need financial assistance and the utility will do what it can to help.
“What I would encourage people to do, if they’re facing hardships or see difficult times coming up on the horizon, they should reach out as soon as I can,” Pesanti said. “Although our in person customer service representatives are not available, representatives are still available 24-7 over the phone.”
Unlike SRC and Operation Warm Heart, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) does not require electrically heated homes because the utility distributes funding for the program for Clark County. The LIHEAP program helps residents pay for heating of their home, and currently more than 4,000 Clark Public Utilities customers are in the program. However, due to economic hardships surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, Pesanti said more and more people are requesting help through the program. At the same time last year, the no-show numbers for LIHEAP appointments was about 12 percent. This year, it’s 4 percent. “Times have gotten harder and customers have responded accordingly,” Pesanti said, mentioning that the utility’s Guarantee of Service program saw an increase of applicants by 17 percent.
As for Operation Warm Heart, which supplies heating assistance money to communities in financial hardship, much of the funds for the program come from the utilities annual Race for Warmth, which takes place during the end of January. Residents from all over the county run in the Race for Warmth to raise money for the program. This year, due to the pandemic, much of the Race for Warmth is taking place digitally.
“Instead of taking place on one day this year, we’ve stretched it out over a weekend,” Pesanti said. “Instead of meeting downtown, we are telling people they can participate however they want.”
Pesanti explained how participants can pick their own finish line in the county, run circles in their neighborhood or on a treadmill. The utility will also have route options available when the date of the race is near.
The race still has a registration fee and participants will receive a shirt, medal and merchandise from local sponsors in the mail. All funds raised through the registration fees will be used to support Operation Warm Heart.
“It’s the single largest fundraising event for Operation Warm Heart, and every dollar of those registration fees goes to supporting community in financial crisis,” Pesanti said.
