For Immediate Release:	Contact: Alonza Robertson
Date: 06/9/2025	212-920-1679

UAD to Connect Residents to Cost-Saving Programs

 

LINDEN – The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) will host the Union County Utility Assistance Day (UAD) on Wednesday, June 11, in partnership with the City of Linden and Union County. The event will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the John T. Gregorio Recreation Center, 330 Helen St., Linden, NJ. 

 

UADs have proven to be highly effective in helping connect residents with social services and assistance programs offered by State and utility providers. The Union County UAD in Linden is the latest in a series of successful UADs, where approximately 9,300 residents have cumulatively attended, including recently in Burlington City, Phillipsburg, and Bridgeton.

 

“Utility Assistance Days, like the upcoming event in Linden, are part of our ongoing commitment to connecting residents face-to-face with Board staff and other partners that can connect residents with available cost-saving programs,” said NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. “With summer weather on the way, we encourage everyone who might need help to come to the John T. Gregorio Recreation Center in Linden to discover the full range of assistance available for utility bills. Our State and local partners will be on hand to speak with attendees directly and assist with applications.”

 

Participating organizations are Proceed, Inc., Catholic Charities, NJ Shares, PSE&G, Elizabethtown Gas, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, the New Jersey Department of Human Services, NJ211, and the New Jersey Clean Energy Program.

 

“I commend the NJBPU and Union County for organizing this Utility Assistance Day,” said Assemblywoman Linda Carter. “Events like this are vital in connecting residents with the resources they need to manage utility costs. By bringing together various assistance programs in one place, we’re making it easier for families to access the support they deserve.”

 

"Thanks to the NJBPU for hosting such an important resource fair to aid our constituents,” said Assemblyman James Kennedy.

 

“Utility costs are front and center in the minds of many New Jerseyans, which is why we want to get the word out about how easy it is to apply for help,” said New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. “We urge people who are struggling to pay their home energy bills to apply for assistance. You may qualify to receive help through programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Universal Service Fund.”

 

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Union County residents to learn about the utility assistance programs available and how to apply. Many of the individuals and families that we serve at the New Jersey Department of Human Services are eligible for utility assistance but may not know it. This includes individuals and families participating in the Work First New Jersey program, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, and older adults or people with disabilities participating in the Lifeline Utility Assistance Program,” said Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman. “I encourage residents concerned about higher utility bills to attend this informative event to learn what assistance may be available.”

 

"As Mayor of the City of Linden, I extend our deepest gratitude to the NJBPU for organizing this essential Utility Assistance Day for our residents and for designating the City of Linden as the venue," said Mayor Derek Armstead. "Far too many families are forced to make tough decisions between fundamental needs. By connecting them directly with available assistance programs, we're ensuring they don't have to confront these challenges on their own. That's precisely why we are so delighted to support Utility Assistance Day in Union County."  

 

“Helping residents stay on top of their utility bills isn’t just about dollars—it’s about keeping families safe, secure, and stable,” said Union County Manager Edward T. Oatman. “That’s why we’re proud to support Utility Assistance Day here in Union County. We thank the NJBPU for bringing this critical event to our residents and for selecting the City of Linden as the host site. Too many households are forced to make impossible choices between basic needs—and by connecting people directly with the programs that exist to help, we’re making sure they don’t have to face those choices alone.”

 

To determine eligibility for utility assistance on-site, residents attending the Union County Utility Assistance Day in Linden should bring the following:

 

• One month of income statements from within the past eight weeks (or a zero-income statement) for all adult household members;
• Copies of social security cards or residency status for all household members;
• Proof of address (i.e., copy of rental lease or housing authority letter). (If you are a homeowner, please bring your tax bill, mortgage statement, or deed.); and
• All pages of electric, natural gas, and/or heating bills

 

Additionally, customers in arrears who enroll in the Universal Service Fund (USF) program will be automatically screened for the Fresh Start program. Fresh Start provides eligible USF customers an opportunity to have their overdue gas and electric balances forgiven by paying only their current monthly bills on time and in full. Fresh Start is available to customers once every five years. To self-screen for USF eligibility or apply online, please visit www.nj.gov/dca/dcaid or call 2-1-1 for more information.

 

For those unable to attend, please call 2-1-1 to learn more about New Jersey’s utility assistance programs. Those with complaints or concerns regarding their utility company are encouraged to call the NJBPU at 800-624-0241 or file online here.