Project Help is an emergency heating-assistance program that helps pay for electricity, natural gas, propane, heating oil, wood, or coal for people who need temporary help with their heating bills. Project Help clients may have an emergency need because of job loss, illness, injury, or disability, or they may be seniors struggling with the rising cost of living.

    Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee (CAC) administers Project Help. Food City, Home Federal Bank, WATE-6, WIVK, the Knoxville News-Sentinel, and KUB teamed with CAC for the campaign, held January 3 – 28.

Food City shoppers were given the opportunity to add $1 Project Help cards to their purchases at checkout lines, and Food City posted the cards in store windows. During the campaign, Food City  shoppers’ donations totaled $21,508.

Home Federal placed donation boxes in participating branches to accept Project Help donations. The check presented today from Home Federal totaled $2,147.

“Project Help would not be possible without the contributions of those in the community,” said Cecelia Waters, director of Energy and Housing Services, Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee (CAC). “These donations are helping many families stay warm this winter.”

Although the Food City campaign is over, we can still help our neighbors stay safe and warm this season. KUB customers can make a one-time donation or a monthly pledge to Project Help throughout the year on the back of their utility bill or online at www.kub.org, and all donations are tax deductible. [Donors receive a contribution letter for tax purposes.] Another way to help is by recycling most types of paper in Project Help bins at participating Pilot locations and other businesses in our community (see www.kub.org for a list of recycle bin locations).

Last year, about 400 Knoxville families were kept safe and warm thanks to generous people who donated more than $100,000. KUB encourages its customers to give to Project Help. Customers can obtain information on how to apply for Project Help assistance by contacting the CAC Center for Energy and Community Services at 637-6700. For more information on Project Help, visit www.kub.org and click on the link to the Hot Topics Index.