Heating bill assistance programs in the Milwaukee WI area
Considering that Milwaukee’s winters are long, cold, and expensive when it comes to heating a house or apartment, there are organizations (and programs) that help people pay their utilities during the cold fall, winter and spring month. Residents of both the city and county of Milwaukee have access to programs that focus specifically on heating costs, with a focus on senior citizens and the vulnerable. Find details below on where to get help paying winter heating costs in Milwaukee, with contact information listed too.
Options include the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program, the Milwaukee County Energy Assistance Program, emergency furnace repair services, and a statewide nonprofit that supports households in crisis - with most recipients in the city. These programs provide help with natural gas, electricity used for heat, propane, fuel oil, and other heating sources.
Countywide government program run by non-profits
Milwaukee County operates its own heating assistance program through the Milwaukee County Energy Assistance Program. It administers WHEAP locally and is the required entry point for residents of Milwaukee County. This includes people in the city as well. This program, also known as Keep Warm Milwaukee, accepts applications from October through mid-May each year and focuses directly on heating bills, no matter the source of the fuel. Residents can apply through the county’s portal at https://keepwarmmke.org or by calling 414-270-4653.
- Those who prefer in-person support can visit the county’s energy assistance sites, which are operated through a longstanding partnership with Community Advocates. Community Advocates is headquartered at 728 North James Lovell Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233, and its main phone number is 414-449-4777. The agency helps residents complete interviews, submit documents, and request crisis assistance.
Wisconsin law has a winter utility disconnection moratorium that runs from November 1 through April 15. A utility cannot disconnect heat-related service during this period if the customer is currently connected. The moratorium does not require reconnection for households already disconnected; instead, they must arrange a payment plan.
- If a lack of heat may cause a hardship and if other conditions and criteria are met by the applicant, then your family may be protected by regulations that are intended to protect the health and even the life of residential households in Milwaukee and statewide. This can also protect those struggling families who have a medical emergency, and their disconnection can be postponed for up to a few weeks. This will provide the family time to pay their bills and get back on track.
- Households who cannot reach a reasonable agreement with the utility can seek assistance from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. The Commission’s Consumer Affairs Office can be reached at 800-225-7729 or through its website at https://psc.wi.gov.
- A charitable program is available for Milwaukee residents who remain unable to afford basic winter heating, especially when they use propane, fuel oil, or natural gas. The Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund is an established nonprofit program that provides heating assistance to low-income Wisconsin residents. It operates in every county, including Milwaukee County.
The program helps with home-heating costs when the household cannot afford fuel or when a winter bill threatens a household’s ability to maintain heat. The information is at Keep Wisconsin Warm. This nonprofit has assisted Milwaukee residents for many years and continues to do so.
Charities in Milwaukee WI area that help pay heating costs
La Casa de Esperanza is based at 410 Arcadian Ave, Waukesha, WI 53186. While based in Waukesha they also cover the Milwaukee WI region as well. Funds from the organization can help with paying fuel costs, pay for getting your heat or natural gas turned back on, or even provide for emergency furnace replacement or repair. In addition, they are a partner of the Keep Warm Milwaukee program referenced above.
- In addition to guidance on all the various local options, there is emergency financial help (grant money) to help pay heating bills during the winter as La Casa de Esperanza raises its own money as well as help people. Any financial aid offered is always intended to help pay a portion of your heating costs and is not intended to pay the total annual bill or all of your expenses. Call (262) 547-0887.
Partners for Community Development will offer help to a local household who has no heat. They can apply for emergency aid. So if you are nearly out of fuel, have a disconnection notice from We Energies or another company, or have no money, the non-profit will try to help. The address is 8939 N 55th St, Brown Deer, WI 53223 and call (414) 973-0148.
One of the places to turn to for emergency help during the winter is Social Development Commission (SDC). They can advise low income families on private and government heating assistance programs, provide energy saving tips, and help people navigate the various resources out there, including the state of Wisconsin WHEAP/Home Energy Assistance Program. Case managers also facilitate various proactive crisis services and advice. This includes tips on how to reduce fuel costs, arranging co-pay agreements, and counselors can arrange for payment plans on your heating bills with your fuel supplier. The main number is (414) 963-2684 with locations below, or look here for more details on getting help from Social Development Commission in Milwaukee.
- 9151 N 76th St, Milwaukee, WI 53223
- 1730 W North Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53205
- 6878 N Teutonia Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53209
Help for Milwaukee residents from WE Energies
Most Milwaukee residents receive their natural gas or electricity used for heat from We Energies. The utility directs customers to the Milwaukee County Energy Assistance Program for direct financial help, and it offers payment plans to customers who need longer-term budgeting support. We Energies can be reached at 800-842-4565 or look for more details on how to get help from We Energies.
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