The Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund’s 2008-2009 “Give the Gift of Warmth” campaign surpassed its goal of $650,000 by raising $884,199 for energy assistance. Bay State residents generously donated funds that were matched by energy companies during an economic crisis that most had never experienced.
The Good Neighbor Energy Fund (GNEF) is a statewide cooperative effort of energy companies, their customers, and The Salvation Army that started in 1985 to help families who have not qualified for federal and state assistance programs and need assistance paying their energy bills.
To qualify for assistance from GNEF, an applicant's gross household income must fall between 60 and 80 percent of the state's median income levels. The fund provided energy assistance to over 2,700 families with a maximum payment of $300 during the 2008-2009 heating season.
The fund is currently closed but will reopen on Dec. 1 for emergency cases. For more information, visit www.magoodneighbor.org.
