Beginning Jan. 1, 2018, MLGW will expand its Share the Pennies utility bill round-up program to include all residential and commercial customers.

Share the Pennies, sponsored by MLGW and MIFA, provides grants to low-income homeowners for home weatherization to increase energy efficiency and reduce wasted energy. The grants are funded by MLGW customers whose bills are rounded up to the next whole dollar. For example, a bill of $74.50 would be rounded up to $75, and 50 cents would go toward the grant program.

Customers who choose not to donate to Share the Pennies can opt out any time before or after the enrollment expansion through the following methods:

• Visit mlgw.com/share and submit the opt-out form.

• Call our Customer Care Center at 544-6549 (MLGW), press 1-2-6-2 and follow the prompts, or speak with a Service Advisor. (Spanish-speaking customers can press 3-2-6-2 when calling the automated system.)

• Visit an MLGW community office.

Customers will need their MLGW account number or the phone number associated with their account in order to opt out, and they must be the customer of record to make the change.

Regardless of opt-out status, no new customers will be enrolled in the round-up program until Jan. 1, 2018, unless they request to donate before then.

After the automatic enrollment, MLGW and MIFA expect to be able to help a greater number of customers through Share the Pennies. The program is undergoing other changes as well. Currently, grants are limited to $1,500 and awarded only to senior or disabled customers. In the new iteration of Share the Pennies, grants will increase up to a $4,000 maximum and will be available to all low-income customers, subject to eligibility guidelines.

Share the Pennies is not a bill assistance program. Funds for weatherization improvements are only available for resident homeowners. Rental properties are ineligible.

Background

The decision to switch to an opt-out model came after the MLGW Neighborhood Advisory Council — led by MLGW customers — and Just Energy Memphis (NAACP, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and the Sierra Club) wanted to explore ways of further assisting members of our community who are most in need. They partnered with Memphis City Councilwoman Patrice Robinson, who proposed a resolution to the Memphis City Council. The MLGW Board approved the Council’s resolution to make Share the Pennies an opt-out program for all customers. The council passed the resolution with a 10-0 vote. The MLGW Board of Commissioners voted to approve proposed changes on Feb. 22, 2017.

For more information about Share the Pennies, visit http://mlgw.com/sharethepennies.

Eligibility requirements and more information about grants can be found at MIFA’s website, http://mifa.org/sharethepennies.