Stories of Impact

Stella Ko

This credit has been a huge help in making sure I can pay my PG&E bill. I was afraid to turn on the lights, even when going to the bathroom or kitchen, just to save money, something very dangerous for a senior. I’m so grateful that I can now use lights and heat when needed. Thank you for this program!

Melicent Flowers

I’m so thankful for LIHEAP, without their help, I don’t know what I would have done. They’ve allowed me to keep my household running and eased the stress of living without electricity. As someone on a fixed Social Security income, their support has even helped reduce the need for some of my medication. Thank you, LIHEAP.

LaVerne McGee

I’m a senior with limited income, facing electric and gas bills over $300 during both summer and winter. I rely on a CPAP machine for my health, and without LIHEAP assistance, I wouldn’t be able to afford my PG&E bill. The weatherization program has also been critical for my safety and well-being. As seniors, we’ve contributed to our communities throughout our lives, please continue supporting programs that help us in our later years. Thank you.

Gina Jackson

I’m incredibly grateful to Spectrum Community Services for going above and beyond to help me. Their support made it possible for me to cook and stay safe during this time. I especially appreciate the kindness of someone who called me back even though the line normally doesn’t accept messages. That meant so much to me, ’ll never forget it.

Dena Adams

I’m deeply thankful for the LIHEAP program. Living on just $548 a month as a disabled victim of violent crime, I couldn’t afford my electric bills without this help. Until I’m approved for SSI, this support gives me hope during an incredibly hard time. LIHEAP is a vital resource that can prevent homelessness and should continue to be funded. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Catharine Christiansen

I was struggling to pay utility bills and had no money left for food. I’m very grateful for the assistance, especially since propane is so expensive but necessary.

Andrea Tullos

LIHEAP is a true lifesaver for me.

Since 2018, my rent has increased from $750 to $1,325, and I rely solely on disability income. It's been very difficult to keep up with my electric bill, and this program has made a real difference. Thank you so much.

Denise Holston

In today’s world of rising costs and unexpected hardships, LIHEAP is an essential program that helps families meet basic needs like electricity. With limited funding and increasing demand, it’s critical to continue supporting this program so families aren’t left without vital resources. Thank you for recognizing its importance and the impact it has on our communities.

Hilda Medrano

This assistance program is crucial for low-income families like mine. As a single parent of two special needs children who require constant care, rising living costs made it hard to keep up with bills. When I fell behind, this program provided essential help.

Joyce King

My name is Joyce King, and I’m 59 years old. I care for my disabled husband, and without the help of FEOC, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with my PG&E bill. The summer heat is intense, and going without air conditioning just isn’t an option. This program has been a lifeline for us. Please continue funding it, it’s truly essential for families like mine who are struggling. We need this support now more than ever.

Maudester Wright

Without this program, I would struggle to pay my PG&E bill while also covering rent and groceries. This assistance is vital to our community, and I’m very grateful for the help during tough times. Please continue to fund this essential program.

Maria Valencia

I’m deeply grateful for the support I’ve received. As a part-time worker caring for elderly, disabled parents, making ends meet is difficult. Without this assistance, we would’ve lost electricity and gas. This help gave us not just financial relief, but stability and peace of mind. Thank you for making a real difference in our lives.

Adrienna Jenkins

After recently becoming unemployed, I reached out to Orange County LIHEAP for help with our electric bill. As a mother of two school-aged children and a toddler, their quick support and guidance through the application process meant everything. We had nowhere else to turn and are truly grateful for this program.

Cherie Crane

After my rent increased by $1,000, I fell behind on bills and was close to losing Electricity. I reached out to Community Action Partnership in Orange County, CA, and they helped pay off my entire bill. I’m incredibly grateful, without their support, my family would be without power today.

Ruth Benveniste

LIHEAP has been a godsend, helping me afford my energy bill while living on a very low fixed income. With rising costs, I wouldn’t have enough for food without this support. As an elderly person, this program is essential to my health and well-being. Please continue supporting it.

Beatrice Donley

LIHEAP has been a life-saving resource for me over the past years. I’m on Social Security (widow’s benefits), so my budget is very limited. During the summer months, it becomes especially difficult to keep up with my electric bills because I need to use my window air conditioner frequently to stay well. Without it, I don't feel well.

Every year, I rely on LIHEAP’s financial assistance to help with these costs. If there were no funds available to support low-income individuals like me, I don’t know how we would manage.

I kindly ask that organizations like LIHEAP continue to receive support so they can help people in times of need. Thank you.

Lorraine Scott

I'm a 67-year-old breast cancer survivor trying to make it in Southern California on only my monthly Social Security. I lost everything to breast cancer: my business, my income, my stability, and the house I lived in. I don’t have anyone to fall back on, so LIHEAP is imperative for not only my well-being and my ability to stay in my house, but also for my life. Utilities have increased exponentially in the past few years. If I didn’t receive help from LIHEAP right now, I would be unable to pay these utility bills, and I would probably be homeless again. Please keep this program and help seniors and families who need a hand.

Monique Robinson

LIHEAP has helped me with emergency bill assistance more than once. After a recent back injury, I fell behind on payments, and with the added cost of using a CPAP machine, my bill was even higher. Thanks to LIHEAP and Spectrum, I was able to regain control of my finances. I’m truly grateful and hope this program continues to support families like mine

Gwen Ramirez

Living in Fresno, where temperatures soar, LIHEAP has been a lifeline. Despite using every energy-saving resource available, my electric bill remains high. When I couldn’t pay and faced shutoff, my grandson stepped in, but not everyone has someone to turn to. This program gives people like me a chance to breathe and catch up. With the cost of living rising and extreme heat approaching, LIHEAP is essential. It truly helps those in need and is carefully managed. Please don’t let this vital support disappear.

Laura Vazquez

I’m currently unemployed with two kids at home and rely on my unemployment benefits. I usually work in the fields, but right now, there is no work. HEAP is what supports me in covering my food and rent. I have a 48-hour shutoff notice expiring today and can’t pay for a few more weeks. This program eases my stress and is essential for families like mine, especially in agriculture, where wages don’t rise with costs.

Carolina Moreno

HEAP provides me with a better opportunity to manage my bills while I search for work. Currently, there are no job openings available for me, and without this support, I wouldn't be able to pay my bills. I would have to consider leaving my home and finding a place to stay. This program helps me during tough times.

Della Conner

It was a very stressful day when my power got shut off. I am on oxygen, and it is crucial to my health to have energy. Without LIHEAP, what could've happened to me in my sleep? There's no way I could have paid to have my electricity turned back on. It would still be off today, and my health would be at risk.

Guadalupe Alonzo

My husband and I receive HEAP assistance every year. He’s a quadriplegic and relies on a power wheelchair, which requires a lot of electricity, especially with extra heating in the winter. For people living on Social Security, unexpected expenses can be hard to manage. HEAP eases that stress and helps us keep up with bills. It’s a vital program for low-income families like ours.

Irene Muñoz

My HEAP benefit lasts me 4 months.

Those months I can focus on buying

essentials. I had a stroke 15 years ago and I am disabled - I can’t work

and receive Social Security income. I recently suffered another stroke and was hospitalized for a month. I returned home 2 weeks ago and received a 48-hour notice. I was about to be without power, but I was able to make a small payment and HEAP helped me too.

Vera Palmer

I was shut off for two weeks because

I am on limited income from Social Security and couldn’t pay my bill. While I was without power, I had 2

seizures due to my epilepsy. To get

my power restored, I would have to put my entire Social Security payment towards my energy bill. I

wouldn’t have money to pay for rent

HEAP made a pledge on my account and got my power restored in an hour.

Fidel Aldama

As a disabled individual in a wheelchair for 15 years, I rely on Social Security as my only income. My PG&E bill is over $150 a month due to medical devices, and HEAP provides vital assistance that helps me afford basic needs. My wife, now 63, cannot work, and without this program, we would struggle to pay for rent, food, and utilities, especially in winter when heating is essential for my health. Please continue funding HEAP to support elderly and disabled individuals like me who depend on this assistance.

Genevieve Artellan

I have been eligible for HEAP for four years. Each time I was eligible, it helped me pay my bills and expenses I had. I would have to sacrifice my utility bills to have money saved up for when I go to the doctor and other basic necessities like food. I only receive Social Security money and don’t work.

Roman Molodetskiy

We’re both in our mid-70s, living with limited income and serious health issues. I’ve had back and hip surgeries and am preparing for shoulder replacement, while my husband struggles with mobility and breathing after battling pneumonia and whooping cough. We depend on electricity and heating to manage our conditions, but even while conserving, our bills still climb to $250–$600 a month. Sometimes, we have to choose between staying warm and buying food or medication. Reliable energy is a necessity for us.

Reveca Garcia

I’ve applied for HEAP since 2004, and it’s had a huge impact on my life. As a single mother living with a disability, I’ve struggled to pay my bills. The credit from this program has helped me stay afloat. Losing HEAP would be devastating for me and for other low-income families who truly depend on it.

Martin Melgoza

I’ve applied for HEAP every year since 2014, and the help I receive makes it possible to cover my other bills and buy food. I care for my 90-year-old disabled mother, who relies on electricity for her medical bed. Without HEAP, I’d have to choose between food and power. This program is a vital support for families like mine and our community.

Maria Laurel

HEAP has helped me for years, especially when I had a special needs child. I’m disabled and can’t work, so the program allows me to cover rent and other bills. Without this program, I’d have to sell my belongings just to get by. The staff is always kind and informative, and this support truly makes a difference in my life.

Jose Moreno

LIHEAP helped me make ends meet. I’m a painter and drive everywhere for work. With inflation and the rise in gas prices, I’m able to keep working. This program helps hard-working people. People who get up and go to work every day like me.

Maria Valenzuela

HEAP has helped me for years, and now I need it again due to job instability. Even a small amount of help with a bill makes a big difference. I also received weatherization services. I got a new heater, lamps, and shower heads, which lowered my energy bills. This program is a huge support for low-income families like mine, so we don’t have to choose between food, rent, and utilities.

Maria Guillen

I’ve applied to HEAP for several years, and it’s been a huge help. The credit covers my PG&E bill for months, which means I don’t have to choose between electricity and my medications. I’m diabetic with multiple health conditions, and living on Social Security isn’t enough, especially in the cold months when heating costs rise.

Hilda Herrera

HEAP reduced a lot of our stress by helping with our energy bills. Without it, I’d have to sacrifice what little we have just to cover rent and electricity. I also received weatherization assistance, which helped lower my energy costs. CCES staff members were kind and respectful. I’m truly grateful for their support.

Betty Achica

LIHEAP has helped me get out of debt. I'm a single mom of 3 kids under 18. I lost my job because I was caring for my children when they all got COVID. Without LIHEAP I would have to sacrifice my rent payment, kids' school supplies, and bus fare. Thank you!

Krista Wong

I’ve been a longtime PG&E customer in San Francisco, and whenever I’ve had trouble paying my bill, the Fillmore LIHEAP office has been there for me. The staff is wonderful and truly dedicated to helping the community. I hope these services aren’t cut. Many low-income families still rely on this support to afford heating and cooling. The help and the people providing it are still very much needed.

Theresa Gleason

Thanks to HEAP, I am able to survive. HEAP helps me stay warm. HEAP Weatherization makes everything function more efficiently and look better and more updated. The new light bulbs are so much better - they give me a happier feeling, especially in winter. Since housing is so expensive in California, if I didn't have HEAP assistance, I would have to live in a more rundown place. I am very grateful for your program!

FACES OF LIHEAP

View the Stories of People Who Depend on LIHEAP to Survive