Donate to Project Care Utility Bill Assistance For Those Experiencing Hardship: City News Blog
LAKELAND, FL (November 17, 2022) | As a City-owned utility, our goal is to provide Lakeland with reliable electric service, but we also feel it is our responsibility to help improve the quality of life for our customers. To help our fellow citizens in need, a program called Project Care was developed to assist people with paying their Lakeland Electric bills. Lakeland Electric customers who are 60 and older and/or disabled are eligible for assistance. Project Care is about people caring for people, neighbors helping neighbors.
With your support, Project Care can help provide emergency assistance to those in our community who have experienced a recent personal or family crisis that has placed them in danger of losing their utility service. Project Care raises thousands of dollars each year through customer donations. Since its inception in December of 1994, Project Care has raised $741,424.64 to help families and individuals experiencing hardship pay their Lakeland Electric bill. With your contribution, this program will continue to help our neighbors in need.
The program provides emergency relief for temporary financial hardships— not chronic or long-term debts. A customer is eligible for a maximum benefit of $150.00 per year. All donations collected by Lakeland Electric are administered by Catholic Social Charities, a local non-profit organization that helps determine customer eligibility and need through an established screening process.
Lakeland Electric also offers a convenient way to participate - Through the Round Up program, Lakeland Electric customers can choose to automatically round up their utility bills to the next highest dollar amount. For example, a participating customer’s monthly bill of $253.75 would be automatically rounded up to $254.00, with the additional 25 cents going to Round Up for Project Care.
Each month the donation will vary, depending on the amount of your electric bill. There will be a separate line on your utility bill indicating the amount donated to Round Up for Project Care for that particular month. The minimum amount you contribute each month is one cent, and the maximum is 99 cents. The maximum any customer can contribute in a year is $11.88 ($0.99 times 12 months).
If you are interested in participating in the Round Up program, please call Customer Service at 863-834-9535 or visit https://lakelandelectric.com/programs-and-services/project-care and fill out the quick form because your small change will make a big difference. Project Care has helped thousands of local families through difficult times and with your help we can continue to assist those in need.
Contact
Kevin Cook
Director of Communications
City of Lakeland
863.834.6264
Kevin.Cook@LakelandGov.net
About Lakeland
The City of Lakeland was incorporated January 1885 and has grown to become one of the largest inland communities in Florida. With a current population of over 100,000 Lakeland continues to grow. It has been designated a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area by the US Census Bureau for over 30 years. With tourist attractions and gulf beaches only an hour away, Lakeland continues to capitalize on its ideal central Florida location along the I-4 corridor. The City owns and operates Lakeland Electric, the third largest publicly owned utility in Florida and it was one of the first to offer power in the Sunshine State over 115 years ago.
For additional information about the City of Lakeland, please visit www.lakelandgov.net. Citizens are also invited to follow the City on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, Snapchat and Nextdoor. Citizens can find the City of Lakeland on these social media platforms by searching lakelandgov.
For additional information about the City of Lakeland, please explore LakelandGov.net.
Citizens are also invited to follow the City on social media.