Need help paying your utility bill? JEA shares resources for customers - WJXT News4JAX
Need help paying your utility bill? JEA shares resources for customers
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A new video released by JEA shows how the utility and community organizations work together to help customers in need who are struggling to pay their utility bills.
JEA said that during the holiday season and throughout the year it works to help customers find ways to save on their utility bills.
Elizabeth Paulson, JEA’s manager of customer assistance programs, outlines resources provided by JEA, the city of Jacksonville and local agencies in the newly released video.
“At JEA, we believe that utilities are basic needs,” Paulson says, “and we hope this information connects you to ways to save.”
JEA said that in the last few weeks, several agencies have surprised customers who were struggling to make utility payments.
In one case, a Jacksonville nonprofit organization gave $16,000 toward paying JEA customer accounts on the verge of disconnection. And in recent weeks, JEA was able to apply over $8.4 million in federal funding released by the state of Florida to pay the utility bills of prequalified JEA customers.
For customers who need help, JEA recommends calling 211 or 904-632-0600 for a list of agencies and resources that provide assistance. United Way 211 connects people to essential services 24/7 at no cost to callers.
Many JEA customers who need help paying their bills learn about resources like JEA’s Neighbor to Neighbor fund from United Way 211, which also helps individuals with suicide and crisis intervention and care coordination for veterans.
For those looking to give back, JEA offers an easy way for customers to help their neighbors in need. [
JEA’s Neighbor to Neighbor fund helps customers facing a temporary emergency keep their lights on and water running. The money to pay those utility bills comes from generous customers who add a small amount extra each month to their JEA bill.
Customers interested in learning more can visit jea.com/neighbor.
Related Knowledge Center: Climate economics
Climate change is now a driver of the world’s economy. The impact is profound:
- Catastrophic weather events — hurricanes, floods, droughts, high temperatures — are more frequent and more extreme. The cost can be measured in both the initial damage caused and the longer-term impact on the economy.
- Vulnerable communities are increasing climate-related investments, hardening infrastructure and taking other protective measures.
- Investment in carbon capture and storage technologies is increasingly rapidly.
- Governments are making investments and crafting regulations to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
On top of all of this is the cost of uncertainty. As the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released in 2018 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, says, “The assumption that current and future climate conditions will resemble the recent past is no longer valid.”