Consumers Energy, The Salvation Army Team Up to Help Michigan Families Stay Warm

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Feb 26, 2015, 05:04 ET

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of Michigan residents reaching out to The Salvation Army will stay warm this winter with statewide energy bill assistance funded by the nonprofit organization and Consumers Energy.

Consumers Energy announced its $1.6 million contribution to The Salvation Army today in Grand Rapids. Additional financial support from The Salvation Army will mean $4.5 million in energy bill assistance for customers this winter.

"Consumers Energy has a longstanding relationship with The Salvation Army, and we're pleased to work with an organization with such a history of service to assist those who need help," said Dan Malone, Consumers Energy's senior vice president of distribution operations and engineering and transmission.

"We are committed to helping the Michigan communities we serve, and we know we can make a difference by providing assistance that allows our customers to meet their basic energy needs," Malone said.

The announcement was made at The Salvation Army's Dickinson Center, which houses, among other programs, a call center to coordinate energy bill assistance.

"We are thrilled with the generosity and unwavering support of Consumers Energy and what this contribution will mean to our neighbors in need who are experiencing difficulty in paying their utility bills," said Major Thomas Bowers, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army Western Michigan and Northern Indiana Division. "More importantly, it provides a way to empower customers to escape from the cycle of recurring need," the Major said.

Today's announcement is part of $9 million in total contributions Consumers Energy has made statewide this winter to assist Michigan residents. Consumers Energy is providing $4 million to four nonprofit organizations that work directly with people who need help managing their bills – The Salvation Army, Michigan Community Action, The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) and TrueNorth Community Services. In addition, the company is contributing an additional $5 million to its CARE program, which offers bill credits and access to energy efficiency upgrades.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.6 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

Getting help

Energy assistance is available from several sources:

CALL 2-1-1: Call 2-1-1 first to find out what resources are available in your community.

CARE: Learn more about Consumers Energy's CARE program: www.ConsumersEnergy.com/CARE.

THE SALVATION ARMY: To access resources of The Salvation Army in your community, call 855-929-1640

CONSUMERS ENERGY: Learn about programs from Consumers Energy that help customers through tough times: www.ConsumersEnergy.com/assistance. Or call 800-477-5050.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com.

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SOURCE Consumers Energy