Salvation Army expects greater bill assistance need after Alabama Power announces rate increase - WVTM13 Birmingham

BE ON YOUR POWER BILLS STARTING JANUARY FIRST, THIS RATE INCREASE SPECIFICALLY IMPACTING ELDERLY AND DISABLED ALABAMIANS THIS TIME OF YEAR, THE SALVATION ARMY IS STEPPING IN TO HELP THEM OUT. WVTM 13 MATTIE DAVIS JOINS US LIVE FROM THE BIRMINGHAM AREA. SALVATION ARMY. AND MATTIE, I KNOW DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, CERTAINLY A TIME WHERE WE SEE THOSE POWER BILLS START TO SPIKE. SARA, THE SALVATION ARMY TELLS US THE WINTER IS A TIME WHERE PEOPLE TURN TO THEM FOR HELP AND THAT NEED ONLY GROWS. WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE MOST RECENT ALABAMA POWER RATE INCREASE. NOW PROJ, ECT, SHARE THE SALVATION ARMY’S PROJECT PROVIDES EMERGENCY ENERGY ASSISTANCE TO ELDERLY AND DISABLED ALABAMIANS AND PEAK WINTER AND SUMMER MONTHS. MAJOR ROBERT LYLES SAYS THE NUMBER OF COLD DAYS WE’VE ALREADY HAD THIS YEAR ALONG WITH INFLATION, HAS MANY REACHING OUT TO THEM FOR HELP PAYING THEIR BILLS. HE EXPECTS THE LATEST ANNOUNCED ALABAMA POWER RATE INCREASE WILL ONLY MAKE THINGS HARDER ON THOSE ON A FIXED INCOME WHEN THE RATES RISE, IT’S GOING TO BE HARDER AND HARDER FOR THOSE BECAUSE THE INCOMES THAT INCREASINGLY AGREE THAT THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO FOREGO SOMETHING. AND MAYBE THAT’S SOMETHING NUTRITIONAL AT THE GROCERY STORE OR MAYBE IT’S A MEDICATION. THEY SAY, WELL, I’LL JUST STRETCH THIS. SO THIS AT LEAST 2000 TWICE A YEAR TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF HEALTH MAJOR LAW SAYS THAT THEY KNOW UNTIL INFLATION IS UNDER CONTROL, IT’S ONLY GOING TO CONTINUE TO HURT THOSE ON A FIXED INCOME AND THAT DONATING TO NONPROFITS LIKE THE SALVATION ARMY HERE CAN GO A LONG WAY