Consumers Energy and The Salvation Army Encourage Support for the PeopleCare Program to Help Those in Need
JACKSON, Mich., Dec. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For many Michigan
families struggling to make ends meet, an unexpected problem can wash away the
joy of the holidays. Often, those families just need a bit of help to get by:
A prescription for a sick child, a bag of groceries, or a tank of gas to get
to work until the next paycheck.
Consumers Energy and The Salvation Army created PeopleCare to provide that
help to individuals and families. Last year, PeopleCare helped nearly 11,000
families across Michigan, providing food, shelter, clothing, and other
emergency aid. The Salvation Army determines eligibility for energy bill
credits and other help and distributes the aid.
Consumers Energy provided $1.5 million in energy bill credits this year,
and the utility's customers and employees contributed more than $850,000 for
PeopleCare. In 2009, the utility will again provide $1.5 million in energy
bill credits.
Since it was established in 1983, PeopleCare has helped 360,000 households
in Michigan. Consumers Energy employees and customers have donated nearly $13
million to support PeopleCare and the utility has contributed $27 million in
energy bill credits for total support of $40 million.
Consumers Energy customers can support PeopleCare's work of helping
families and individuals by checking a box at the top of their January energy
bills.
Customers may donate $3 a month or make a one-time donation of $5 by
checking one of the boxes at the top of their January bill. If they'd like to
contribute more each month, they can call 1-800-477-5050 and arrange to have
the amount added to their bill. Other contributions may be sent to:
PeopleCare
Consumers Energy
Lansing, Mich. 48937-0001
"PeopleCare is focused on one goal: Helping people in need. Over the
past 25 years, PeopleCare has helped thousands of households with quick,
direct assistance. Consumers Energy and its employees are proud to support
PeopleCare and to help those in need," said Debra Harmon, the utility's
corporate customer assistance advocacy manager. To see scenarios of families
helped by PeopleCare, or to download a brochure, visit
www.consumersenergy.com/peoplecare.
Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, provides natural
gas and electricity to nearly 6.5 million of Michigan's 10 million residents
in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.
