Making Lives Better With Our Emergency Furnace Repair Program
Written by Rita Urbaniak, Director of Customer Relations at Peoples
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If you're in a difficult situation and need help with a furnace repair, or just paying your gas bill, we're here to help you.
A couple of weeks ago, we were contacted by the Area Agency on Aging regarding an elderly couple with significant health issues. Their only income is from Social Security; the wife has dementia and health problems, and the husband is undergoing chemotherapy for terminal cancer. They returned to their home following a long period of vacancy and attempted to arrange for their gas service to be reconnected.
Peoples’ Operations team took care of the connection, but when the routine safety checks were completed on the furnace and water heater, both were red tagged—meaning they were unsafe to use. This couple did not have the resources to fix these two appliances, and they needed hot water in order to remain in the home. It was a difficult circumstance, but the safety and well-being of this couple came first.
Through our emergency furnace program, we coordinated repairs to the furnace. We then replaced the water heater through our Making Lives Better Fund. Watching this couple move back into their home, especially with such difficult health circumstances, was truly priceless. As we move toward colder months, having funds available to help with special situations will continue to be an invaluable tool.
Every day, our team works closely with agencies such as Area Agency on Aging, and United Way’s PA 2-1-1 Southwest help center. By working alongside these organizations, Peoples hopes to strengthen our commitment to helping vulnerable populations. Our missions are all simple, but equally powerful: We all strive to help people who need it the most.
For more information on our customer assistance programs, please visit our Help Me Pay page.
Article first appeared in the Peoples Corner, in the PA 2-1-1 Southwest Quarterly Report.