The Association of Community Ministries is one nonprofit organization offering water and energy bill payment assistance for those in need.
Linette Lowe, president of the association, said increasingly, households are cost-burdened by their monthly energy bills, meaning they consume 6% or more of a household’s income.
"We have almost 60,000 households just in Metro Louisville who are experiencing that kind of burden and about 30,000 households who have severe burden," Lowe outlined. "They pay more than 10% of their income just to have utilities in their household."
Kentuckians for Energy Democracy is spearheading the campaign. Kentucky is among a handful of states with no protections against utility disconnections during extreme weather. Earlier this year, state lawmakers introduced legislation which would bar utilities from disconnecting customers in certain circumstances, including during extreme temperatures but the bill stalled
The federal Low-Income Energy Assistance Program provides cash to low-income households but its future remains uncertain after employees were laid off and the Trump administration threatened to pull the program’s funding.
Tania Whitfield, a resident of Fayette County, said her energy bills are making it difficult to meet basic needs, especially with the cutback of SNAP benefits.
"As a mom, you know, doing everything I can, stretching my money as far as I can stretch it," Whitfield explained. "Still not able to make $1 out of 15 cents, but just doing the best that I can."
Community action agencies are accepting applications through Dec. 12 for a one-time payment to go toward home energy costs. So far this year, more than 68,000 Kentuckians have received assistance totaling around $24 million.
