Utility, Phone, Internet & Furniture Assistance

Utility Assistance

Call 211 or visit 211's energy bill assistance website here to find the most current information about utility assistance resources. 

Oregon Energy Fund - provides funds for energy assistance to 30+ partner agencies and nonprofits throughout Oregon. Visit the website below to search for electric and natural gas assistance available by zip code. https://www.oregonenergyfund.org/energy-assistance

Social Service Organizations in Multnomah County providing a variety of Utility Assistance Supports:

Electric Assistance

PGE

  • Income-Qualified Bill Discount program  provides ongoing, monthly help with your PGE bill that’s in addition to any other assistance you may be getting from other agencies. 

  • Options are available if you need help paying your electric bill. 

Pacific Power

  • Please contact us at 1-888-221-7070 to discuss options for your account.

  • Pacific Power partners with Oregon Energy Fund, a nonprofit agency, to offer energy assistance to residents with donated funds. 

Contact 211 Info for access to either of the Energy Assistance program listed below:

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program

  • LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps eligible families and individuals pay their energy bills. The program opens to the general public in December, but special outreach is provided in October and November to seniors, the disabled and households with children under age six.

Oregon Energy Assistance Program

  • OEAP is a year-round assistance program funded by a state-mandated charge added to all PGE customers’ bills.

Natural Gas

NW Natural

  • Customers may be able to receive assistance and choose several grant options available to help with a past-due balance. This new program provides instant grants of up to $300 and even more options for larger balances. A grant can be used to help offset the cost of a payment plan or pay off a past-due account balance.

Water Discounts

Portland Water Bureau

Internet and Phone Service

Search Engine - Universal Service Admin. Co. offers a search engine that can locate "Companies Near Me" that offer Lifeline (phone) and the Affordable Connectivity Program (internet). Click here to access the search engine. More information about both of these programs is listed below:

Comcast Internet Essentials Program (Internet)

Low cost internet service.

Affordable Connectivity Program (Internet)

This federal program provides a discount of $30 per month towards internet service for eligible households. Enrollment is open to households with at least one qualifying individual who has an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, participates in SNAP, Medicaid (OHP), SSI, WIC or Lifeline, or receives benefits under the free and reduced price school lunch program. 

TruConnect (Phone)

Wireless phone service that offers high speed data, unlimited talk and text, plus a free Android smartphone at no cost to qualifying customers.

Oregon Lifeline (Phone & Internet)

Discounted phone and internet service.

Qlink Wireless (Phone)

Free unlimited data, talk & text. Bring your own phone or upgrade to a new one and get free cell phone service every month. 

Cell Phones For Soldiers

Provides veterans with a free phone and year of paid phone service.

Furniture Resource

Community Warehouse

Community Warehouse is a furniture bank that collects donated home goods and works with social service agencies to get those goods in the hands of those who need furniture.

  • Applicants must be referred by a case manager or advocate who has been to the Community Warehouse orientation. 
  • Current access fee information can be found here - https://www.communitywarehouse.org/partner-agencies/ 
  • Community Warehouse offers furniture delivery for an additional fee. 
  • Virtual appointments are available, where both the client and case manager attend the appointment virtually with a Community Warehouse staff person. There is an additional fee for this service.  
  • Multnomah County IDD does not have funding to pay for the access or delivery fee's at this time but can assist by referring households to the program. A referral from a social service agency is necessary to access furniture. 

Love Inc

May be a resource depending on where the tenant resides. Visit the Find Your Love Inc website to find a location in your area. There is not currently a Love Inc in Multnomah County, however, there are locations in Tigard, Hillsboro and Oregon City. 

Good Deeds

Their mission is to provide assistance to families with special medical circumstances. The assistance they deliver is focused to benefit the family as a whole, and is specific to the unique and individual needs of that family, in that set of circumstances. At Good Deeds we assist families to continue with previously routine expenses during their difficult time, and they take care of some of the new expenses that come with the situation.  In addition to direct financial support, they frequently provide assistance with donated goods and services from local area businesses and individuals.  Making community connections for these families allows members of the community to donate their special goods/services at no charge and fill an instant need in the community.

Care Oregon Health Related Services Funds

This fund covers items or services that will help keep you healthy, and that you might not expect would be paid for by your health plan including Community Warehouse access and delivery fees. Examples of services that can be paid for include:

  • Housing support: Furniture, application fees for housing or a state-issued ID, moving costs, etc.
  • Phone/video appointments: A cell phone, tablet, an internet connection for better access to providers, etc. 
  • Food support: Meal delivery, food vouchers, farmers market funds, etc.
  • Living environment: Air conditioners, athletic shoes, items that improve mobility, etc.
  • Comfort items: Weighted blankets, sleep aids, vouchers for yoga classes, etc.

Steps for requesting funds

  1. Talk to your provider or care coordinator about what’s keeping you from getting and staying healthy. Members of your care team or your case manager can make requests for health-related services funds.
  2. If your diagnosis or treatment calls for an item or service not otherwise included in your health coverage, your health provider or you case manager will need to fill out the following forms to make the request.
  3. We’ll let you and the person who made the request know if your request is approved.

If you have any questions about health-related services or other topics, call CareOregon Customer Service at 800-224-4840 or TTY 711 or send us a secure message at careoregon.org/portal

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Heating and Cooling Resources

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