EAST LANSING, Mich — As the fall season begins, many residents face tough choices between paying for heat or other necessities.
The home heating credit from the state offers relief to eligible families struggling with utility bills. Central Michigan 2-1-1 has taken over 14,000 calls for utility assistance this year alone. The deadline to apply for the home heating credit is September 30.
“When people are needing help with those things like utilities, housing, food, clothing…they can simply dial 2-1-1,” said Evelyn Mercer, a supervisor at Central Michigan 2-1-1.
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“When people are needing help with those things like utilities, housing, food, clothing…they can simply dial 2-1-1,” said Evelyn Mercer, a supervisor at Central Michigan 2-1-1.
Mercer and her team connect neighbors in need with resources to help them manage their bills and access available assistance programs.
“So far, year-to-date, we’ve taken over 14,000 calls for utilities alone,” Mercer said.
The challenge of paying utilities is one Mercer understands personally.
“I can speak from experience. It was ‘do I pay my Consumers (bill) or do I go get food?’ Especially with a child and partner at home, it’s ‘which do I do?'” Mercer said.
A credit available from the state is offering some assistance to eligible families. It’s called the Home Heating Credit.
“It’s a big relief. Basically, if they are eligible for it, the credit then gets sent to the utility company, and it’s applied to the account. So if they’re past due and stuff like that, it can be applied to that past due balance and get them caught up,” Mercer said.
Application forms can be filed by mail or online, and residents who need help completing the application can reach out to 2-1-1 for assistance.
The deadline to apply for the Home Heating Credit is September 30.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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