From the Lake Apopka Natural Gas District
As inflation and rising costs continue to strain budgets, energy disconnections have become an unfortunate reality for many Americans, but there’s hope! At Lake Apopka Natural Gas District (LANGD), we are committed to ensuring our customers in Apopka, Clermont, Winter Garden, and surrounding areas do not have to face these challenges alone. In 2021, the employees of LANGD were hearing and seeing the need to help those dealing with financial hardship and we launched LANGD’s Helping Hand, a customer assistance program designed to support residential customers struggling to keep up with their bills.
In partnership with Heart of Florida United Way, LANGD’s Helping Hand has proven to be a vital resource for our community. The program was initiated after a $5,000 investment by LANGD’s board of directors, and thanks to the generosity of community members, vendors, LANGD employees and even fellow customers, it has continued to grow. In just over three years, the program has provided thousands of dollars in assistance, helping dozens of families keep their showers hot, and meals cooked.
The success of the Helping Hand reflects on LANGD’s deep-rooted commitment to our community. We are your neighbors, we live in the communities that we serve and when the COVID-19 pandemic surfaced in 2020, nobody could have imagined how it would affect so many families trying to make ends meet. The Helping Hand program was founded a year into the pandemic to provide critical financial assistance to families facing unprecedented economic challenges at the time, and its impact today is as strong as ever.
In addition to our Helping Hand program, the District also encourages customers to explore the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and how it can also help low-income households with their energy bills. As a federally funded initiative, LIHEAP provides crucial support that ensures that more families have access to consistent, safe, and reliable natural gas, especially during challenging economic times. Learn more at https://acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/liheap.
LANGD’s Helping Hand is more than just a financial assistance program; it is a testament to our belief in the power of community. We understand that everyone needs someone to lean on from time to time, and we are proud to offer that Helping Hand.
If you or someone you know is a LANGD residential customer facing financial hardship, you may qualify for assistance. Applicants must be a customer of record or authorized on the account, have a past-due balance, and are not involved in tampering-related criminal activity. Assistance is available up to twice a year or up to $350 per household within a 12-month period. If you want to donate to the Helping Hand fund, check out www.langd.org to learn more or contact us at (407) 656-2734. We are grateful for the generosity of our customers, employees, our vendors, and other community members who have donated to Helping Hand, and we believe the best is yet to come.
At LANGD, we will always work hard to ensure families in need have access to natural gas. Learn about switching to resilient, affordable and reliable natural gas by contacting the District’s marketing team at (407) 656-2734, x307, marketing@langd.org or visit www.langd.org for more information.
