Power To Care Bill Assistance Program
Benton REA’s bill assistance program, called Power To Care, allows members to round up their monthly electric bill to the nearest dollar, donating the spare change to a fund that helps fellow members pay their past-due electric bills, enabling them to keep the lights on.
How to Apply for Assistance
To receive assistance from our Power to Care fund, you must:
- Be a residential member of Benton REA,
- Have a past due balance on your electric account, or have received a electric disconnection notice, and
- Have a combined annual gross household income equal to or less than 200% of the federal poverty guideline income level based on the number of people in the household.
Federal Poverty Guideline Calculator
Bill assistance will be granted as a credit on the qualifying members’ electric account once per calendar year. The amount received depends on the family size, household income and amount due on the electric account.
Benton REA strongly encourages members to contact us at 1-509-786-2913 before applying to ensure you are eligible for assistance funding.
To apply, download the Power to Care Bill Assistance Application and return it to a Benton REA in one of the following ways:
- Email the application to billing@bentonrea.org
- Bring it to one of our offices
- Mail it to the address on the form
How to Contribute to the Fund
Benton REA members may enroll in one of three ways:
- Through your SmartHub online account or the SmartHub app. Click "Power To Care" under the "Billing & Payments" tab and click "Enroll" to select your round-up options. In the app, tap "Bill & Pay" and "Power To Care" to select the account(s) you wish to enroll.
- Call 1-509-786-2913, Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Fill out the Power to Care enrollment section on the back of your payment stub and return it to a Benton REA office.
Non-members who wish to contribute - including individuals, businesses or community organizations may call 1-509-786-2913.
The average donation is only $6 a year.
Members must opt in to round up their bill and can unenroll at any time.
If your total bill is $105.25, it would be rounded up to $106. The extra 75 cents is donated to the bill assistance program. By rounding up your bill, you would give 0 to 99 cents each month.
Larger one-time and monthly donations will also be accepted from members and nonmembers.