The pandemic meant more of us needed a little more help over the past year.
And TEP customers stepped up, providing more support than ever for a program that provides bill payment assistance for low-income families.
Customers are invited to round up their bill payment to the next dollar or make a fixed monthly contribution to join our Help with Emergency Energy Relief Operation – or HEERO for short.
At a time when TEP provided additional bill payment assistance and support for local nonprofits working to meet increased demand through the pandemic, thousands of our customers stepped up to help their neighbors as well.
Every month, HEERO contributions are passed along to the Salvation Army for bill assistance to TEP customers. We cover the program’s administrative costs, so 100 percent of contributions are used to help customers.
TEP customers contributed more than $137,000 to the fund last year, simply by rounding up or designating a set dollar amount to help. Since 2011, our customers have contributed more than $1.6 million in all.
“People in the community know about our partnership and we get emails and calls all the time asking if there’s any assistance that might be available,” said Bill Davidson, Community Relations Manager with Salvation Army. “For us, it’s great to be able to say, ‘Yes, there is a way we can help’ and then to show them how easy it really is to go through the process.”
“It’s great to have a tool like this, and particularly in a time like this, when families have been sidelined by events outside of their control.”
Denise Richerson, TEP’s Director of Customer Service and Programs, said the HEERO program supplements other assistance TEP provided customers over the past year, including extended payment plans and additional flexibility.
“HEERO is a great way for customers to help provide hope for neighbors in need,” she said. “Small change can really add up and make a big difference in the lives of others,” she said.
For more information on how you can participate, please visit https://www.tep.com/heero/
