Story Created:
Dec 2, 2009 at 7:13 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Dec 8, 2009 at 1:03 PM EDT
SOUTH BEND ― As those winter temperatures settle into our area, a lot of people are worried about how they are going to pay the heating bills.
There is a real need, and volunteers at the food pantry inside the Little Flower Catholic Church know this better than anyone. But, that need goes beyond the cans and boxes that get stuffed inside plastic shopping bags.
People turn to the church just to keep their lights and heat on, and it is something Jay Freel Landry, A pastoral associate at the church knows all too well.
"In the past we used to get 30, 40, 50, 60 phone calls a day in the wintertime looking for help with gas bills," said Landry said. "Particularly gas deposits."
NiSource Inc.-owned NIPSCO announced Monday it was renewing its Winter Warmth program. It says the program has provided more than $25 million in aid to some 70,000 NIPCSO customers in 25 counties since 2004.
But NIPSCO will also adopt recommended changes from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission that will limit where assistance funding money can go. Money can help customers to pay their bill, but not their deposit.
Landry said that can often be the bigger fee.
"A deposit of $800, $900 to most of us is unheard of, absurd," Landry said.
A spokeswoman from the IURC said "by paying the deposit, a customer is making a good faith effort to show the utility that he or she will continue to demonstrate positive payment behavior."
Landry disagrees.
"People who've defaulted on a bill don't have anything to pay on a deposit," said Landry. "They are folks doing their best to make ends meet."
As people continue to count on the church and its helping hand, volunteers vow to help any way they can.
IURC spokeswoman said deposits are refundable, if certain expectations are met ― like a satisfactory payment.
