El Paso Group Can Help You Pay Your Utility Bills

There is nothing scarier than not having money. Not being able to put food on the table, not being able to pay your bills - I've been there. We've all been there, and right now because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many El Pasoans are in that scary place, but there is some help available right now if you need help paying your utilities.

Project Amistad has gotten a 4 million dollar grant from the City of El Paso to help people pay their utility bills. On Monday, January 25, you can put in an application to get that help through the AmistadCARES Utility Assistance Program.

Last year about 1,100 El Paso residents were helped by the same program with a half-million dollar grant through Project Amistad. You could get up to 12 months of utility assistance and it can be used to cover past due water, gas, and electric bills. You can apply to be part of the program through September 31 of this year, but if the funding gets used up before then you won't be able to access the funds.

From Project Amistad, here's how you qualify:

Your household incomes can't exceed more than 80% of area median income and has to meet these following conditions:
· One or more individual in the household has:
· Qualified for unemployment benefits OR
· Has experienced a reduction in household income,
· Incurred significant costs,
· Experienced other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to the COVID-19 pandemic, AND
· Has received a past due utility notice

Applicants have to live within the City of El Paso limits, you need to have an active and account with the utility company. Project Amistad will verify your account information. You have to live in the property that you're asking for help with, and you can't be getting utility assistance from other programs.

You can apply for utility assistance through Project Amistad beginning Monday, January 25 by calling 915-298-7307 (select option 1 + option 1 + zip code) or logging onto www.projectamistad.org/amistadcares.