This summer, your donation to help those in need pay their electric bills will have twice the impact.

TEP is matching customer contributions dollar-for-dollar, up to $50,000, from June through October to help low-income customers cover their energy costs during the hottest months of the year.

Through the HEERO program, customers can round up bills or pledge a set amount each month on their bills. Every penny goes to help low‑income residents, as TEP does not use any donations for program administration. The donations are sent to the Salvation Army to provide bill assistance to qualified customers.

During the hotter months, higher cooling costs can increase bills and create challenges for customers to keep up. This matching initiative is timed to provide help when many residents feel the strain the most. The matching funds come from company resources, not customer rates.

“We know many families sometimes struggle to pay summer electric bills,” said Joe Salkowski, Senior Director of Communications and Public Affairs. “We’re committed to supporting the communities we serve and proud to provide financial assistance where it’s needed most.”

It’s easy to participate: Through your online My Account, customers can sign up to make the contribution of their choice or change the amount. Customers also can call to make updates to their accounts: 520-623-7711. Learn more and sign up here.

In addition to the matching contribution, TEP is encouraging its employees to increase their contributions to HEERO through a companywide initiative. “We’ve always had strong internal support for this program, particularly from employees who connect most frequently with customers,” Salkowski said.

In addition to HEERO, TEP offers funding and other ways to connect customers with bill assistance. Some examples are:

• Short-term bill assistance through the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, called LIHEAP, and the Home Energy Assistance Fund administered by the Wildfire TEP contributed $330,000 to Wildfire in 2025 for bill assistance and other programs for low-income residents.
• The new Power AZ program for bill assistance for working families through the State of Arizona. Income requirements are higher than other programs to reach more families.
• Monthly discounts for qualified low-income residential customers through the Lifeline program. TEP is proposing larger discounts, which could go into effect later this year through our rate proposal.

Learn more about bill assistance and our Neighbor Connect resources or meet us in-person at pop-up events. Find more information and the event calendar here.