Donate to Low-Income Utility Assistance Program

Help for low-income families

​You can help support low-income families by making a donation to the Low-Income Utility Assistance Program.

The Low-Income Utility Assistance Program is a voluntary, tax-deductible program that helps low-income individuals and families with their utility bills. We place 100 percent of your donation into a fund that is exclusively used for low-income utility assistance. The City of Salem matches donations up to $10,000 maximum per year.

The City of Salem refers utility customers in financial need to local social service agencies. The agencies determine eligibility for the program and make arrangements for assistance. Payment is made directly to eligible customers’ utility accounts from the low-income utility assistance fund.

The Salem area provides roughly $15,000 every year in utility bill assistance. However, the community need for assistance is much greater than available funds.

How to donate

Donating to the Low-Income Utility Assistance Program is easy. You can make a one-time donation in any amount or donate $5 or more monthly. Every penny donated to this program will be used to help someone in need.

The donation may qualify for a tax deduction. However, you should consult your tax preparer or consultant to make sure.

Please fill out the donation form and return it with your payment to get it set up.

​Sign up or make a one-time donation​

Monthly donations

If you choose to make an on-going donation, you can easily pay your monthly bill online. You will need the customer number and address code from the top of your invoice.