William, 63, has been avoiding turning lights on or using air conditioning at home and in an effort to conserve electricity. The price of electricity has skyrocketed along with the cost of almost everything else he needs, and his income is fixed. He called PA 211 Southwest when his electricity was in danger of being shut off and he couldn’t pay even the minimum monthly charge. The Resource Navigator gave William contact information for five organizations that could assist with his electric payments.
As they talked, William disclosed that he is a Veteran; the Resource Navigator asked him whether he was aware of all the veteran benefits that the state and federal government offer. When William said that he wasn’t sure but would like to know more, the Resource Navigator referred him to Veterans Leadership Program of Western PA (VLP), which serves Veterans with a variety of supports and services. William was pleased when one of the referral agencies helped him pay his past due electric bill. He’s also looking forward to meeting with a VLP staff member who is coming to his home to review his eligibility for available veterans benefits—an unexpected and welcome bonus, courtesy of 211.
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