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The Dollar Energy Fund just hosted its 11th Annual Warmathon campaign with KDKA News Radio, raising more than $155,000 for 430 Pittsburgh area families in need.

Helping families that could experience a utility service termination is critically important, especially during these winter months.  In fact, because of the recent polar vortex, some utilities were sending out record amounts of natural gas to keep residents warm, which serves as a good reminder of to the importance of abundant and affordable home heating.

Across the country, home energy costs were 300% higher in 2008 than they are today – and U.S. Household energy spending recently reached its lowest level in a decade, which is especially beneficial for low-income families. PA is now the second largest gas producing state and, with that abundant supply of energy comes some relief to household budgets. Natural gas is PA’s largest heating source for homes – but remember while many of us (especially this time of year) associate natural gas with heating our homes and cooking our food, it is also powering the things we use and keeping the lights on in our homes.

About one-third of Pennsylvania’s electric supply is now powered by natural gas, with all indications that natural gas will be increasingly relied upon for electricity demands. Simply put, affordable energy is important for ensuring more families are able to manage the costs of their energy bills, preventing them from facing a termination or resorting to using unsafe methods to heat their homes.

And lower energy costs also means that organizations like Dollar Energy Fund can support more of those in need with energy assistance.

Each year, Dollar Energy Fund provides utility assistance to 10,000 – 12,000 households in Pennsylvania, allowing them to maintain or restore basic gas, water and electric service. The program helps approximately 30,000 individual Pennsylvanians annually, of which approximately 13,000 are children and 2,500 are senior citizens. Since October 1, 2018, which was the start of the program year, Dollar Energy Fund has provided $1.2 million in assistance to 3,626 households across the state.

Here in the Commonwealth, utility partners include the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, Clairton Municipal Authority, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, Duquesne Light, a FirstEnergy Company, Pennsylvania American Water, Peoples Natural Gas and Penn Power.

While the Warmathon might be over, you can continue to donate to the Dollar Energy Fund by clicking here.