Consumers Energy : Provides $1 Million to Help Michigan Residents Stay Warm This Winter

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Consumers Energy Provides $1 Million to Help Michigan Residents Stay Warm This Winter

Jackson, Mich. Thursday, January 06, 2022

Assistance Available Through Nonprofits; Call 2-1-1 to Learn More

As cold weather blankets Michigan this week, Consumers Energy is providing $1 million in new assistance to help customers in need stay warm.

"Consumers Energy is committed to helping our friends and neighbors through this Michigan winter and all seasons," said Brian Rich, Consumers Energy's senior vice president and chief customer officer. "These new dollars will enroll customers in programs that help them build brighter futures and stay safe and warm in their homes."

The $1 million will be distributed equally by the United Way of Jackson County and TrueNorth Community Services, two Michigan nonprofits with long histories of helping Consumers Energy customers. They will enroll people in programs that help with energy bills and provide a roadmap to self-sufficiency.

Consumers Energy has worked to help customers and communities in several ways, committing nearly $20 million in the last two years in assistance for households and small businesses. That includes $3.5 million to establish a new pilot program for low-income households that will start late this year.

The best way for people to get help is to call 2-1-1, a free service that connects people with nonprofit agencies in their communities. Other sources of assistance include:

• Apply for State Emergency Relief (SER) at michigan.gov/mibridges.
• Contact Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050 to make payment arrangements.
• Apply for a Home Heating Credit at michigan.gov/treasury.
• Apply for COVID Emergency Rental Assistance. Customers can apply online at www.michigan.gov/CERA.

Consumers Energy's contributions add to tens of millions of dollars that have come into Michigan since last year through pandemic relief and federal and state stimulus programs. Rich encouraged people to reach out to 2-1-1 if they face any challenges, from energy bills to other household needs.

"We know it can be intimidating to ask for assistance, particularly for families that haven't faced financial hardship before. But people should remember that getting that important help can start with a single phone call," Rich said.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

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Media Contacts: Brian Wheeler, 517-740-1545, or Josh Paciorek, 517-243-9036