​2018 CARE funds to help ComEd customers facing financial hardship avoid service disconnection​

CHICAGO (January 17, 2018) — Winter's colder temperatures have arrived and ComEd is reminding customers that help may be available for those who have fallen behind on their energy bills. As of January 2, 2018, CARE is accepting applications for Residential Special Hardship (RSH) and CHAMP grants. 

Thanks to the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA), ComEd customers facing financial hardships and disconnection may be eligible for a portion of the $10 million available in annual CARE grants. These dollars are part of a five-year, $50 million commitment to help customers in need, and are a continuation of the program originally created by the Smart Grid law enacted in 2011.

"We know that many of our customers face significant hardships and struggle to meet all of their expenses," said Val Jensen, SVP of Customer Operations, ComEd. "We hope these grants can help to relieve some burden for customers who are going through tough times."

The ComEd shareholder-funded CARE programs are focused on helping military families, veterans, senior citizens and customers who may have experienced a job loss, illness or disability and need help paying their electric bills. ComEd also offers assistance to non-profit organizations that are experiencing a hardship. In addition, the company is offering budget billing and deferred payment arrangements.

In 2017, the company was able to help nearly 16,500 customers with ComEd CARE grants. 

ComEd's customer CARE programs help a variety of qualified customers, including:

Seniors and Families 

• ComEd's Residential Hardship program allows eligible, residential customers to apply once every two years for grants up to $500. Eligible hardships include job loss, illness, military deployment, and senior or disability-related hardships.

Veterans

• ComEd's CHAMP (ComEd Helps Activated/Disabled Military Personnel) program offers a package of benefits to qualified military personnel who live within ComEd's service territory. ComEd has assisted, activated and deployed members of the U.S, Armed Forces, National Guard, Reserves and honorably discharged veterans. ComEd provides grants of up to $1,000 (once every two years, while funds are available).

Local Non-Profits

• Through our nonprofit Special Hardship program, ComEd makes grants up to $2,000, once every two years, to eligible non-profit organizations. 

For more information on ComEd's financial assistance programs, including eligibility requirements, please visit ComEd.com/CARE or call 1-888-806-CARE (2273).

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Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's leading competitive energy provider, with approximately 10 million customers. ComEd provides service to approximately 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.