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Energy assistance for low-income households

Energy Assistance Funds

Cascade Arrearage Relief Energy Savings (CARES)

If you are having difficulty paying your natural gas bill, Cascade Natural Gas and our Community Action agency partners are available to help with solutions provided through the new CARES bill payment assistance program.

Applying for CARES

Applying for CARES is easy. You may simply self-declare your household income and the number of residents in your home to establish your eligibility.

As a Washington customer, you may apply for available assistance by completing an online application form. After which, a Community Action agency representative will contact you.

You may also contact your local Community Action agency, all of which are listed below.

Alternatively, you may download and print a hard-copy application: ENGLISH APPLICATION | SPANISH APPLICATION

Eligibility for CARES

Eligibility for the CARES program is based on your household income and the number of residents in your home. If your net household income is 200% or less of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) or 80% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI), you qualify for CARES.

Income eligibility for CARES is based on net income rather than gross income since net income better represents a household’s accessible cash for living expenses. To determine your net household income, apply any discounts as listed for income type in Table 1 below.

CARES Income Breakdown

Federal Poverty Guidelines may be found at this site. To determine if you are eligible, compare your net household income with the income provided for the number of residents in your household.

Cascade understands that determining eligibility is a multi-step process that may be complex, and for this reason, Cascade encourages you to call a Community Action agency to walk you through the process or to answer your questions.

CARES Bill Discounts

The energy bill discounts and the arrearage relief grants are provided based on your income level. Table 2 shows the energy discounts and, if applicable, the arrearage relief grants available based on your percentage of FPL or AMI.

CARES Tier Levels

Winter Help

Winter Help is a program funded by customer and Company donations. Winter Help has helped more than 10,000 families since the program started in 1989.

Cascade matches each dollar donated to Winter Help up to a yearly total of $50,000. Contributions are tax deductible and are guaranteed to be used in your community.

If you would like to contribute a one-time donation or make a monthly pledge, please complete the Winter Help form and mail it either with your gas payment or mail it with your donation to:

Cascade Natural Gas
Winter Help
8113 W Grandridge Blvd
Kennewick, WA 99336

If you are including your donation on your natural gas payment stub, please remember to check the box noted on your stub for your donation to be applied correctly.

Winter Help is registered under the Charitable Solicitations Act in Washington. Financial disclosure information may be obtained at 360-725-0378.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides low-income households with financial grants to be applied toward their energy bills. You can find out if you are eligible for this program and apply for help at one of the Community Action agencies listed below. Please note, these income guidelines are updated periodically, so be sure to check back regularly.

  • Income guidelines for LIHEAP for Washington are found here
  • The Washington LIHEAP brochure provides more information, including income guidelines, essential energy facts, and contact information in your area
cascade natural gas energy assistance
cascade natural gas weatherization program

Weatherization Assistance

Cascade is pleased to partner with Community Action agencies in offering free home weatherization and energy efficiency improvements to income-qualified residential dwellings heated with natural gas. Please contact your Community Action agency for additional information or to apply for weatherization assistance.

Your Community Action agency will qualify you, perform an energy savings review, and install the energy efficiency and weatherization measures in your home. Potential improvements may include:

  • Insulation in attics, walls, and floors
  • Insulation around duct work and hot water pipes
  • Air sealing to prevent leaks, especially around windows and doors
  • Heating and cooling system cleaning, tuning, and repairing
  • Installation of high efficiency natural gas furnace and hot water heaters

Community Action Agencies

Aberdeen
Coastal Community Action Program
Application available on their website or by phone
101 E Market St.
Aberdeen, WA  98520-0304
800-828-4883
360-533-5100

Bellingham
Opportunity Council
Application available by phone
1111 Cornwall Avenue
Bellingham, WA  98225
360-255-2192

Bremerton
Kitsap Community Resources
Application available by phone
1201 Park Avenue
Bremerton, WA  98337
360-479-1507

Everett
Snohomish County Human Service Department
Application available by phone or online by clicking here.
3000 Rockefeller Avenue
Everett, WA  98201
425-388-3880

Lacey
Community Action Council of Lewis, Mason & Thurston Counties
Application available on their website or by phone
807 W Railroad Ave
Shelton, WA  98584
800-878-5235
360-426-9726

Kennewick/Pasco
Community Action Connections (CAC)
Application available on their website
720 W. Court Street
Pasco, WA  99301
509-545-4042
Prosser: 509-786-3379

Longview
Lower Columbia Community Action Program
Application available on their website
1526 Commerce Avenue
Longview, WA  98632
800-383-2101
360-425-3430

Moses Lake
OIC of Washington
Application available by phone
309 5th Avenue
Moses Lake, WA  98837
Appointment line: 509-955-7100
Reception line: 509-765-9206

Mount Vernon/Burlington
Community Action Agency of Skagit County
Application available on their website or by phone
(8:30a, first Wednesday of each month)
160 Cascade Place
Burlington, WA 98233
360-428-1011

Oak Harbor
Opportunity Council of Oak Harbor
Application available by phone
231 SE Barrington Dr, Ste 100
Oak Harbor, WA  98277
360-679-6577

Toppenish
NW Community Action Center
Application available by phone
PO Box 831
706 Rentschler Lane
Toppenish, WA  98948
509-865-7630

Walla Walla
Blue Mountain Action Council
Application available on their website or by phone
8 E Cherry Street
Walla Walla, WA  99362
509-529-4980

Wenatchee
Chelan-Douglas Community Action Council
Application available by phone
620 Lewis Street
Wenatchee, WA  98801
509-662-6156

Yakima
OIC of Washington
Application available by phone
815 Fruitvale Boulevard
Yakima, WA  98902
Appointment line: 509-955-7100
Reception line: 509-452-7145

Additional Resources

Dial 2-1-1

211 works a bit like 911. Calls to 211 are routed to a local or regional calling center. The 211 center’s referral specialists have databases of resources available from private and public health and human service agencies. They match callers’ needs to available resources and may directly link or refer callers to an agency or organization that can provide assistance.

Types of Referrals Offered by 211 

  • Basic Human Needs Resources – including food and clothing banks, shelters, rent assistance, and utility assistance.
  • Physical and Mental Health Resources – including health insurance programs, Medicaid and Medicare, maternal health resources, health insurance programs for children, medical information lines, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, and drug and alcohol intervention and rehabilitation.
  • Work Support – including financial assistance, job training, transportation assistance and education programs.
  • Access to Services in Non-English Languages – including language translation and interpretation services to help non-English-speaking people find public resources (Foreign language services vary by location.)
  • Support for Older Americans and Persons with Disabilities – including adult day care, community meals, respite care, home health care, transportation, and homemaker services.
  • Children, Youth and Family Support – including childcare, after-school programs, educational programs for low-income families, family resource centers, summer camps and recreation programs, mentoring, tutoring, and protective services.
  • Suicide Prevention – referral to suicide prevention help organizations.

New! Cascade Natural Gas Oregon Energy Discount Program (EDP)

cascade natural gas energy discount program

Effective October 01, 2022, qualifying Cascade Natural Gas Oregon customers may receive a discount on their bill. The discount amount will be calculated using the tiers represented in the table below using Federal Poverty Levels (FPL)/State Median Income (SMI). Customers enrolled in the EDP will receive benefits for up to 24 months and will need to re-qualify at the end of their 24 month term.

To qualify for Cascade’s EDP, complete an online application at customer.cngc.com, call Customer Service at 888.522.1130, or contact your local Community Action Agency (CAA). A list of CAAs can be found at the bottom of this page.

oregon low income bill assistance oliba

Oregon Low Income Bill Assistance Program qualified customers may receive:

  • Benefits of up to 90% of their past due balance
  • A rate discount of up to 95% for 24 months*

There is no fee to apply or participate and no paperwork is required. All you need is an account with a past due balance, your monthly household income, and the number in the household.

*Customers may reapply for the rate discount every 24 months. The 24-month period may reset when the customer moves and establishes a new account.

RATE OF DISCOUNT BASED ON INCOME TABLE

*Federal Poverty Level (FPL), State Median Income (SMI).

oliba

Apply today through a local Community Action Agency listed below or by calling Cascade Natural Gas Customer Service at 888-522-1130.

LIHEAP

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income households pay part of their energy bills. You can find out if you’re eligible for this program and apply for help at one of the state agencies below. Please note, these guidelines are updated periodically, so be sure to check back regularly.

Income guidelines for LIHEAP

Our LIHEAP brochure will also provide income guidelines, essential energy assistance facts and contact information in your area:

cascade natural gas energy assistance
cascade natural gas weatherization program

Weatherization Assistance

Cascade Natural Gas is pleased to partner with the Weatherization Assistance Programs in Oregon. These community action and low income agencies offer free home weatherization and energy efficiency improvements to income-qualified residential dwellings heated with natural gas. Please contact your Energy Assistance Agency for additional information or to apply for weatherization assistance.

Participant qualification, energy reviews, and installation are performed by a community action agency. Potential improvements (following a complete home energy review) include:

  • Insulation in attics, walls, and floors
  • Insulation around duct work and hot water pipes
  • Sealing air leaks in the building, especially around windows and doors
  • Clean, tune, and repair heating and cooling systems and, if necessary, replace existing systems with high-efficiency natural gas furnaces and water heaters

Energy Assistance Funds

Oregon:  If you are a customer in Oregon, funds are collected through a Public Purpose Charge (PPC) each month on your gas bill.  These funds are used for conservation and renewable energy projects, schools, low-income weatherization, low-income housing and low-income utility bill assistance. Oregon customers may apply for available funds through the Energy Assistance Agencies listed below.

Winter Help

Winter Help is our own program for helping Cascade Natural Gas customers. We’ve helped more than 10,000 families since starting the program in 1989.

When you contribute to Winter Help, we will match each dollar donated up to a total of $50,000. Contributions are tax-deductible and guaranteed to be used in your community.

If you would like to contribute a one-time donation or a monthly pledge amount, please complete the Winter Help form and mail it with gas payment or mail the completed form with your donation to:

Cascade Natural Gas
Winter Help
8113 W Grandridge Blvd
Kennewick, WA 99336

If you are including your donation on your payment stub, please remember to check the box, as noted on your stub, for your donation to be applied correctly.

cascade natural gas energy assistance funds

Energy and Weatherization Assistance Agencies

Community Connections
Call for an appointment
2810 Cedar Street
Baker City, OR 97814-2233
541-523-6591

NeighborImpact
Application available at NeighborImpact locations, on their website, by phone, or email
For an application:

Telephone:541-504-2155

Email: [email protected]


Klamath Lake Community Action Services (KLCAS)
Application available on their website
2316  South 6th St., Suite C
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
866-665-6438


CINA
Community in Action

Application available on their website
915 SW 3rd Ave.
Ontario, OR 97914-2124
541-889-9555


CAPECO
Community Action Program of East Central Oregon
Call for an appointment or application available on their website, by phone, email, or by mail
721 SE 3rd, Suite D
Pendleton, OR 97801
800-752-1139

Dial 2-1-1

211 works a bit like 911.  Calls to 211 are routed by the local telephone company to a local or regional calling center.  The 211 center’s referral specialists receive requests from callers, access databases of resources available from private and public health and human service agencies, match the callers’ needs to available resources, and link or refer them directly to an agency or organization that can help.

Types of Referrals Offered by 211 

  • Basic Human Needs Resources – including food and clothing banks, shelters, rent assistance, and utility assistance.
  • Physical and Mental Health Resources – including health insurance programs, Medicaid and Medicare, maternal health resources, health insurance programs for children, medical information lines, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, and drug and alcohol intervention and rehabilitation.
  • Work Support – including financial assistance, job training, transportation assistance and education programs.
  • Access to Services in Non-English Languages – including language translation and interpretation services to help non-English-speaking people find public resources (Foreign language services vary by location.)
  • Support for Older Americans and Persons with Disabilities – including adult day care, community meals, respite care, home health care, transportation and homemaker services.
  • Children, Youth and Family Support – including child care, after-school programs, educational programs for low-income families, family resource centers, summer camps and recreation programs, mentoring, tutoring and protective services.
  • Suicide Prevention – referral to suicide prevention help organizations.