MEMPHIS, TN – Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW) is helping Mid-South Food Bank feed the need by providing meals for local struggling families. The utility company is sponsoring a rope for participants to rappel the First Horizon building in Downtown Memphis during Food Bank’s upcoming event, Heights For Hunger.
Each participant will have an experience of a lifetime while also providing 3,000 nutritious meals for local children, families, and seniors in need. Just one rappeler will raise enough money to provide three meals a day for two children for one year!
Not only is MLGW helping Mid-South Food Bank take the fight against hunger to new heights, but the company also has multiple programs to help Memphians save energy and save money. Research shows 69% of families in the Feeding America network had to choose between utilities and food in 2014.
Our friends at MLGW understand that some families have to make tough decisions. Research from Feeding America shows 320,400 people in Mid-South Food Bank’s 31-county service area are living food-insecure. MLGW serves Shelby County which makes up 42.6%, or 136,360, of people going hungry in the Mid-South. Help us fight hunger in our community by signing up to participate in Heights for Hunger and help us reach our goal of 192,000 meals.
Listed below are multiple MLGW programs that make it easier to pay your utility bill.
MLGW Utility Assistance Programs
Payment Extension: Customers in hardship situations may request an extension of their current bill’s due date, provided certain criteria are met and payment arrangements are maintained. Call the Customer Care Center, 901-544-MLGW (6549). Customers calling this number can speak with a Service Advisor or request an extension by following the automated prompts. Eligible customers may also make payment arrangements through their MLGW My Account at 
Memphis Light, Gas and Water - Home Overview. Both follow the same approval guidelines.
Net Due Date Program: If a residential customer of record receives income in the form of Social Security, Disability, governmental assistance, pension, or any source that is paid either once or twice a month, and is not supplementing that income, the customer may be eligible to change the MLGW bill due date to the 12th of each month.
Extended Payment Plan: In certain instances, MLGW may establish a repayment plan of a balance in addition to the regular utility bill.
Call the Customer Care Center, 901-544-MLGW (6549).
Winter Moratorium for Seniors and Physically Challenged Customers: The program is designed to defer cutoffs during the months of December, January, and February for customers who are 60 years of age or older and/or physically challenged.
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Utility service must be listed in the name of the senior and/or physically challenged person
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If qualification is to be based on age, proof of such is required (for example, driver’s license).
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If qualification is based on disability, proof of such is required (for example, a medical statement from a physician).
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Past-due amounts must not be above the minimum threshold of$199.99 as of November 30 of each year.
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Applications are received at any MLGW Community Office dropbox from November 1 through November 29.
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Customers are encouraged to pay bills by the due date. However, at the end of the three-month period, satisfactory payment or arrangements should be made before the March utility bill is due
On Track Program: This program is designed to assist low-income customers who have fallen behind on their bills. To qualify for the program, customers must have a steady income, meet low-income guidelines, and have an MLGW account balance of more than $600. The On Track program focuses on budgeting and energy conservation education. Enrollment is year-round. Several options to apply:
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You can download the application at the website or email mlgwontrack@mlgw.org to have an application sent to you via DocuSign or U.S. mail.
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Call 901-528-4820 and an application will be sent by U.S. mail or email.
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Submit On Track application online.
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Login to your MLGW My Account and click on ‘My Application for On Track’.
For additional questions, contact On Track at 901-528-4820 or email mlgwontrack@mlgw.org.
PrePay: For customers who have smart meters for all the services MLGW provides to their residence, PrePay affords them the freedom to pay on their own schedule. You can make smaller, more frequent payments–making it easier to set a household energy budget that makes sense for your lifestyle. Sign up for text, voice, or email alerts so you always know your balance. Call 901-544-MLGW (6549) to start this service.