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February 3, 2009 Program helps pay VMEU bills VINELAND -- Financially strapped residents struggling to pay their utility bills can get help through a new partnership between the Vineland Municipal Electric Utility and a statewide energy assistance program. The VMEU announced Monday it will take part in the NJ SHARES -- Statewide Heating Assistance and Referral for Energy Services -- program. Qualified VMEU customers could receive up to $300 to help pay their electric bills, or as much as $700 if they heat their homes with electricity. "We are proud that Vineland will be the first municipal electric system to benefit from NJ SHARES," Mayor Robert Romano said Monday in a statement. "I know many of our citizens are struggling to make ends meet, and this program will provide needed relief." The VMEU is the state's only municipally owned electric utility, and serves 21,585 residential customers in the city. NJ SHARES is a nonprofit fund that provides one-time grants to qualified utility customers who are experiencing a temporary financial crisis, have exhausted all other available sources of energy assistance and have a track record of paying their utility bills. A financial crisis can include the loss of a job or an illness. "Many households in New Jersey, through no fault of their own, struggle to pay their energy bills," said Jim Jacob, executive director of NJ SHARES, in a statement. "We are excited at the opportunity to provide direct and meaningful assistance to clients we were unable to reach prior to this partnership." The VMEU could not project Monday how many of its residential customers might take advantage of the program. The utility will begin taking applications for the NJ SHARES program at its customer-service desk at City Hall over the next few weeks. |