Energy
Assistance

GPASS assists community members in dealing with the costs of high energy and other utility bills by working in conjunction with the Philadelphia-based Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA) to provide direct energy assistance services such as:

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• Weatherization – Energy Weatherization Assistance Program (EWAP) for insulation and increasing home energy efficiency. Some examples of what this program pays for are drafty windows to storm window replacement and insulation of doors and its frame.  

• Water Conservation – Low Income Conservation Assistance Program (LICAP), a Philadelphia Water Department program that provides eligible residents with free maintenance of minor plumbing issues. This program uses local minority-owned businesses to install water conservation materials and provide water conservation education.

• Heating – Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for home heating, utility bills, and Crisis grants. To qualify, low-income families must meet income guidelines and can rent or own their home.  Crisis grants are available for households experiencing a heating emergency situation such as broken heating equipment or leaking lines that must be fixed or replaced, lack of fuel or the danger of having their utility service terminated.

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Trained counselors at GPASS prevent utility emergencies by helping families obtain energy assistance grants.  We provide budget and energy counseling and also refer clients to conservation and home repair programs that offer more permanent solutions to the problem of energy affordability.  GPASS assists community members with applications for financial assistance in Philadelphia Tiered Assistance Water Bill Program (TAP), PECO Customer Assistance Program (CAP), and PSW Customer Responsibility Program (CRP).

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• TAP provides low-income families with discounts on their monthly water bill and assists families that are behind in their water bills.

• CAP gives low-income families a monthly credit on their PECO bill.  The credit is based on the household’s monthly gross income, annual energy use, and the percentage of the household income that goes to energy costs.

• CRP helps low-income families keep their gas service on by helping them better afford their monthly gas bill by paying less each month. Past debt is forgiven.

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GPASS’ Heater Hotline program assists low-income homeowners who need emergency heater repairs for broken gas, oil, or electric heating systems.  We also provide educational workshops on energy conservation, do-it-yourself weatherization, basic home repairs, and renewal energy.