Care to Share for ALICE
By Angie Matthiessen
Our United Way of Charlotte County (UWCC) Board President is Charlotte Miller, Florida Power & Light Company External Affairs Manager, SW Florida. I am lucky to work with her and Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) as they understand our mission to break the cycle of poverty. They are truly mobilizers always serving our community in a variety of ways. I have witnessed first hand how they support the non-profits in their communities. They have held clinics and workshops to educate residents and most importantly they are here to help during difficult times.
UWCC is committed to ensuring that our community has access to basic everyday needs, especially households that may be in crisis. To further help families in need, UWCC has partnered with FPL to qualify more of its customers for assistance through its FPL Care To Share ® program, which helps keep the lights on for customers experiencing a temporary financial emergency or personal crisis.
FPL recently adopted United Way’s ALICE which refers to those in our communities who are Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed. It represents those among us who are working but are living paycheck to paycheck due to childcare costs, transportation challenges, high cost of living and more. Based on the new qualification guidelines, FPL estimates about 1.1 million more households will be eligible for this program.
“We are committed to helping our customers who are in crisis get back on their feet,” said FPL Vice President of Customer Service Christopher Chapel. “Each year, with the assistance of great partners like United Way, our Care To Share ® program helps thousands of families by providing emergency bill payment assistance to eligible customers. By expanding the program’s eligibility to include ALICE households, we are optimistic that we can continue to reach more of our community.”
For customers experiencing hardship, FPL has resources available at www.FPL.com/Help. On their website you can get help, or give help. You can learn about assistance, find out if you’re eligible for the FPL Care To Share ® program, find a list of community resources and seek financial assistance by county. FPL also makes it easy for customers to donate through their monthly FPL bill. There are two new ways to contribute: through either a monthly fixed amount or a monthly round-up to the nearest dollar amount. Customers may continue making one-time contributions. If you know of someone who is struggling share this update and encourage those eligible to apply for financial assistance through Care To Share.
The FPL Care To Share ® program is made possible by the generosity of FPL employees, shareholders and caring customers just like you. Founded in 1994, the program helps individuals and families who are experiencing temporary financial difficulties, such as sudden illness, unexpected unemployment, or another emergency or personal crisis keep their lights on when they need it most. Each year, the program helps thousands of families by providing emergency bill payment assistance to eligible customers. The need is greater than ever as so many continue to have difficulty meeting their financial obligations.
For customers interested in donating to the FPL Care To Share ® program, visit www.FPL.com/Caretoshare. For more information about United Way of Charlotte County’s mission: Mobilizing the power of our community to break the cycle of poverty, please contact Angie Matthiessen, the Executive Director of United Way of Charlotte County. She can be reached at director@unitedwayccfl.org or at 941-627-3539.