August is LIHEAP Action Month – an opportunity to highlight the federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program which provides help to vulnerable households and families to cover heating and cooling costs and avoid having to choose between energy and other basic needs, like medicine and housing. Designated by the National Energy & Utility Affordability Coalition to help raise awareness of the critical nature of LIHEAP, this program offers relief to millions of people every year who reply on the service.

People like Charleston resident, Doris Ferguson, who shared the significant impact LIHEAP dollars have made on her life; allowing her to make ends meet at the end of every month without burdening her family.

“I've never been a person that need help,” says Doris. “It's hard to express that if you never needed help, to have to go for help.”

Doris was recommended as a candidate for LIHEAP assistance after connecting with Dominion Energy customer assistance representative, Tawana Tolbert. From there, Tawana reached out to the Palmetto Community Action Partnership (PCAP), who works to distribute LIHEAP funding to identified customers in need.

“It’s essential because we’re meeting a basic need,” says PCAP’s Development Coordinator, Tara Durham. “We need electricity for things like senior citizens with oxygen, for people to be able to get a hot shower, to know that it’s safe, to know that it’s warm. To be able to provide that for people is such an important service to provide to the community.”

Doris says the Dominion Energy representatives, along with the folks with PCAP, have been God-sent and the peace of mind she’s received through this assistance allows her to sleep more soundly at night.

“You guys are very, very helpful to me,” says Doris. “You put that hand out there for me like I put my hands out for somebody else. So, I feel blessed in that way.”

It’s through partnerships like those with PCAP that Dominion Energy customers can get the help they need in the swiftest manner possible; ensuring the lights stay on and meals can be prepared.

“We appreciate tremendously what Dominion does to help us,” says Tara. “It’s not just a single area of partnership, but it’s multi-faceted, where we can all work together to serve more people and serve more people efficiently.”