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Guest column: With Plus-1, a dollar goes a long way
Too many families in this community now eat in the dark, but a contribution to this MLGW-MIFA utility assistance program can change that.

By Steven Wishnia, Special to The Commercial Appeal

Thursday, February 23, 2012

We are all too familiar with the following scene: A mother and her three children live in a home she barely can afford. She was laid off from work, so she finds odd jobs to try to make ends meet.

The mortgage payment eats up much of her small income. And every month she must make a bitter choice -- use what little money she has to feed her children or pay her utility bill.

It's better, she figures, that her children shiver in a cold house rather than go to bed hungry.

For a variety of reasons, this is the kind of difficult choice many Memphians must make every day. But they shouldn't have to. As the economy continues to prey upon so many among us, family after family must make the decision whether to eat or keep the lights on. Too many families now eat in the dark.

All of us know someone -- a family member, a friend, a co-worker or neighbor -- who has had to make hard choices while waiting and hoping that their circumstances will improve.

In the meantime, there is something those of us more fortunate in life can do. We can help ease the discomfort of our neighbors -- even those we'll never meet-- through the Plus-1 program.

Last year, about 1,200 Memphians received one-time utility assistance through the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association's Plus-1 program, which is funded by the customers of Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division.

Launched 30 years ago, Plus-1 allows customers to add a donation of $1 or more to their utility bill each month. The proceeds of that donation go directly into MIFA's Plus-1 program, which administers this utility assistance and ensures that it goes to those with the greatest need.

During the past 30 years, Plus-1 has raised nearly $7 million for utility assistance. Just last year during 2011, the Plus-1 program received $239,000 from caring Memphians, and the average amount of assistance to eligible recipients was $200.

The program is carefully run. Applicants may be eligible for assistance after proving a personal crisis occurred within the last 90 days that prevented their ability to pay the bill. Eligibility is not based on income, but preference is given to those not working for medical reasons.

Applicants must document a temporary, unavoidable loss of income or crisis in the household such as job layoff, off work without pay due to illness, reduction in pay or house fire. Assistance is available only once every 24 months. The applicants must provide the necessary documentation to receive assistance.

Currently, 8,900 MLGW customers regularly contribute to the Plus-1 program. That's about 2 percent of the MLGW customer base. If every MLGW customer gave $1 per month to the Plus-1 program, MIFA could help more than 20,000 families each year -- the number of Memphis families now in need of utility assistance. And in these tough economic times, that number continues to grow.

Contributing or raising your contribution to Plus-1 would go a long way in helping people unable right now to help themselves.

Ask Zach "Z-Bo" Randolph, the Memphis Grizzlies' All-Star forward. Since joining the Grizzlies in 2009, Randolph quietly has helped many people in need in Shelby County. In 2011, for the second consecutive year, Randolph paid the utility bills for more than 100 families to help them during these tough economic times.

And recently he donated $20,000 to another MLGW-MIFA fund that helps utility customers who lost their utility service. That program is called the Extreme Temperature Emergency Assistance Fund, which provides utility assistance when MLGW declares an extreme temperature emergency.

On this winter day, you're likely to be reading this column in the warmth of your home or your office. Each of you -- if you don't already -- could donate at least $1 a month to the Plus-1 program. And for those of you who already contribute, would it make a difference in your life if you raised your donation to Plus-2 or Plus-5? We could then help 40,000 or more families in the community and help these families more than once every 24 months if there is still great need.

The need for utility assistance is great in this community and it's growing. Few among us are able to match what Z-Bo has done for our neighbors in need of utility assistance. But each of us can do our share or perhaps a little more.

We should do it because it's the right thing to do. And we should do it because there aren't just three kids -- but thousands of them -- who want to go to bed tonight warm and not hungry.

Just like you.

Steven Wishnia is vice president of the Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division board.

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