Pictured left to right are: Linda Kleppinger, JCP&L Customer Outreach Specialist;
Roberta Sheridan, JCP&L Area Manager Central New Jersey, Paul L. McEvily,
Associate Executive Director, Interfaith Neighbors, Inc., Cheryl Stowell, NJ SHARES
Director of Public Affairs, Millie Mendez, NJ SHARES, Program Coordinator
Contribution of $101,758 from JCP&L Will Help With Utility Costs for Families Facing Financial Crisis
Asbury Park, NJ. February 11, 2008. Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L) has presented New Jersey SHARES with a check for $101,758 to assist households that may have fallen behind on their utility bills due to a temporary financial crisis.
The grants were presented at Interfaith Neighbors, Inc. located in Asbury Park, one of New Jersey SHARES statewide partner agencies that assists working poor families and elderly residents of Monmouth County meet their basic needs. The checks represent JCP&L’s $51,758 annual contribution to New Jersey SHARES and $50,000 in matching customer and employee contributions. Since 2003, grants totaling more than $1,195,300 have been awarded to JCP&L customer. “New Jersey SHARES works to enable neighbors to help neighbors,” said Don Lynch, Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) region president. “Our customers work to support their efforts and we are pleased to match their contributions in addition to providing seed funding. All of us working together make a difference.”
“Many households in New Jersey, through no fault of their own struggle to pay their utility bills,” said Jim Jacob of New Jersey SHARES. “This year we are seeing a record number of households seeking assistance. We are extremely grateful to JCP&L and their participation in our program which has enabled New Jersey SHARES to help over 126,000 individuals and families statewide since our inception in 1998.”
NJ SHARES is an energy assistance program that assists those people who do not otherwise qualify for utility bill assistance through traditional programs. NJ SHARES helps households with a temporary financial hardship that could have resulted from a loss, an illness or other misfortune. To donate or apply for the NJ SHARES program, please call our toll free number (1-866-657-4273) or visit our website at www.njshares.org.
The New Jersey SHARES Board consists of New Jersey’s seven natural gas and electric utilities (Atlantic City Electric, Elizabethtown Gas, Jersey Central Power and Light, New Jersey Natural Gas, Rockland Electric, South Jersey Gas and Public Service Electric & Gas), nine non-profit agencies (AARP, The Salvation Army, The American Red Cross, Association for Children of New Jersey, New Jersey Community Action Agencies, Catholic Charities The Community Health Law Project, Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey and NJPIRG), and four at-large members Verizon, PNC Bank, Mr. Michael Swayze of Montclair and Ms. Sigrid Franzblau of the law firm Riker, Danzig.