Detroit chapter offers up to $5 million in utility assistance for less fortunate

DETROIT — Michigan winters are unpredictable, but the need for assistance is constant.

Whether it’s heat, housing, clothing or keeping the lights on, many in southeast Michigan have their own personal blizzards to navigate, regardless of the temperature outside.

That’s where the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and its Michigan Energy Assistance Program steps in, ready to help people in need.

Established in 2006, St. Vincent de Paul’s MEAP initiative relieves Michiganians in need of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars in unpaid energy bills. The program is possible through a $5 million state grant and a partnership with DTE Energy and Consumers Energy.

While St. Vincent de Paul originally operated the program only within the Archdiocese of Detroit, the effort has since expanded. Last year, the program assisted 3,688 households across 36 Michigan counties, according to St. Vincent de Paul Detroit program director Cajie D’Cunha.

“When St. Vincent de Paul received state funding for energy assistance in 2006, the initial amount was $200,000,” D’Cunha said. “For 2016-17, we were awarded $5 million in state funds, serving 36 counties for low-income clients in Michigan.”

Residents who are struggling with their utility bills may call St. Vincent de Paul’s general hotline, which directs families to their local St. Vincent de Paul conference. The local conference sets up a face-to-face meeting in which a Vincentian (a St. Vincent de Paul member) works with the client to organize information needed to enroll in the assistance program.

“When most people call the hotline, they say they have had their utilities turned off or are in the process of being turned off,” said Carol Harris, St. Vincent de Paul program director at St. Peter Claver Parish in Detroit.

Despite being one of the smaller conferences in the region, St. Peter Claver’s St. Vincent de Paul conference provided the third-highest amount of aid to people facing utility shutoffs during the 2014 cold season.

At St. Peter Claver’s parish office, Harris helps people in need with face-to-face meetings, helping them fill out applications detailing how much they owe on the utility, their income level and how many people live in the home. Assistance is available for those who are at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level — $3,037.50 in total monthly income for a four-person household.

St. Vincent de Paul can provide up to $3,000 for gas and electric or up to $1,500 for either a gas or electric bill. During the first call for assistance, St. Vincent de Paul will pay up to $1,500 for a utility. If assistance is still needed, people can come back for aid of up to $1,000 a second time or $500 for a third time.

Detroit resident Rufus Burkes scheduled an appointment with Harris at St. Peter Claver’s rectory after DTE told Burkes about the program when his heat was turned off.

“I can’t tell you how much of a relief it was when Mrs. Harris called me back when I was having trouble with my bill,” Burkes said. “I felt great when I came by here. I’m a true believer in God, and I know things will work out; I try to do things right.”

Harris’ calming voice and knowledge of the system put Burkes at ease.

When she said everything will work out, I felt so much better,” Burkes said. “I have five grandkids that I watch while their parents work. Sometimes they stay the night, and I had to wrap them up tight to stay warm at night. I thank God they have a place to help me, I thank God for Mrs. Harris, she seems like a nice person.”

Harris said St. Vincent de Paul works with DTE Energy and Consumers Energy in enrolling people into payment plans if they require more than $3,000 worth of assistance.

“I think I’ve submitted over 100 names in the program, my husband (Ray) and I singlehandedly,” Harris said. “Last year, our conference had $300,000 worth in client utility service. There really is no secret to how we’re able to help so many, other than having a great rapport with those who are less fortunate and showing I’m a human being like they are.”

Harris works with each and every person who calls St. Peter Claver’s SVDP line, making sure they have proper identification, income verification, proof of residency, Social Security numbers of every person living in the residence and copies of their most recent utility bills.

“The premise of St. Vincent de Paul is we’re supposed to see the face of Christ in everybody,” Harris said. “Last year, my husband and I assisted about 10 to 12 people a week, from October all the way through May.”