Help for families in need
You can help support families experiencing a temporary financial need for assistance to pay their City of Salem utility bill by making a donation to the Emergency Utility Assistance Program.
The Emergency Utility Assistance Program is a voluntary, tax-deductible program that helps individuals and families who need temporary assistance paying their City of Salem utility bills. We place 100 percent of your donation into a fund that is exclusively used for emergency 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 emergency 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.