INDIANAPOLIS — When temperatures drop, losing heat isn't just uncomfortable; it can be dangerous. A local program is making sure no one has to endure winter in the dark and cold.
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For Kim Boyd, winter brought a breaking point; a more than $800 AES bill with just a few days to pay.
"It's been a struggle trying to keep up with the cost of living," Boyd said. "They said that all of that money was due by my bill due date. They only gave me an extension for six days."
Boyd turned to the United Way of Central Indiana’s Winter Assistance Fund, a program designed for people who earn too much to qualify for government energy assistance programs but still can't afford rising utility costs. Boyd says the program helped pay for some of her AES bill.
"This greatly saved me so I could go and buy food, or you know, buy other needed items. Not anything excessive, not anything elaborate, but just needed items to live every day and especially with these cold temperatures," Boyd said.
United Way of Central Indiana says the Winter Assistance Fund serves people in Marion County who earn up to 225% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Last year, the Winter Assistance Fund helped 212 households pay more than $127,000 in utility bills.
"We're here to help that ALICE [Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed] community, the people that are working class, but they're slightly above that income cut off, they can still get assistance through us," Kystle Walker, Manager of Safe and Affordable Housing Initiatives for the United Way of Central Indiana.
For people like Boyd, the help came at a critical moment.
"When a person has researched the resources, know where to go, do their homework, absolutely those types of opportunities can be life saving for any individual or family, but we must know our community in order to access the opportunities," Boyd said.
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Adam Schumes is the In Your Community reporter for East Side Indy. He joined WRTV in December of 2021. Adam has a passion for telling stories and giving people a voice they might not have had before. Share your story ideas and important issues with Adam by emailing him at adam.schumes@wrtv.com.
