Mississippi’s 22.4% poverty rate is highest in the nation

JACKSON, Miss. – Employees of Entergy Mississippi, Inc. and The Salvation Army are joining other Entergy employees and low-income advocates from across the country to urge Congress to restore America''s energy safety-net program to its former $5.1 billion funding level.

The effort is part of the National Fuel Funds Network’s LIHEAP Summer Action Day on Capitol Hill. LIHEAP is the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

“Hot weather records are being shattered this summer across America, making this a more critical issue than ever,” said Napoleon Johnson, Entergy Mississippi vice president of customer operations and a LIHEAP Action Day participant.

Current 2012 funding for LIHEAP is $3.47 billion. U.S. House and Senate committee members have endorsed funding the program next year at current levels, even as poverty is rising to levels not seen since 1965. The measures await further review and votes in the full U.S. House and Senate.

“It’s hard to fathom why LIHEAP should be 30 percent smaller in 2013 than it was in 2009 through 2011,” said Johnson. “LIHEAP saves lives. It’s especially important to Mississippi’s elderly and infirm who are ill-equipped to handle these record temperatures.

“Combined with hotter temperatures,” he said, “America’s continued recession is endangering more and more of our neighbors. An additional 674,000 Americans became impoverished between 2008 and 2011 in just the four states Entergy serves. Mississippi families need LIHEAP more than ever.”

LIHEAP helps low-wage workers and low-income families in financial crisis pay their summer cooling and winter heating costs.

“However, LIHEAP’s positive impact to those in need depends entirely upon the financial commitment Congress chooses to make to this life-saving program,” Johnson said.

Although LIHEAP prioritizes households with seniors, disabled and preschoolers, the program is also increasingly reaching households of U.S. veterans and even active-duty members of America’s military services.

This summer the need for energy assistance is rising with the mercury. Record hot weather can drive such at-risk citizens to make risky choices with potential life-or-death implications. On average, there are 400 heat-related deaths a year in the U.S.

Energy costs as a percentage of income are often four times higher for families that qualify for LIHEAP than for families in higher income brackets. Mississippi’s 24.4 percent poverty rate is the nation’s highest.

“We’re doing all we can to help these Mississippians meet their heating and cooling needs, and that includes working with our partners, like The Salvation Army, to ensure our representatives in Congress are fully aware of this issue,” said Johnson.

In addition to engaging representatives in Congress, Entergy Mississippi also provides local aid through the company’s Beat the Heat program and The Power to Care. The Power to Care fund, which is administered by The Salvation Army, allows customers and employees to contribute to a fund that helps low-income customers with monthly utility bills. Shareholders match those donations.

Also, new online tools recently introduced at entergy.com/savemoney provide customers interactive virtual assistance to help them manage their electricity usage and access payment options.

“Initiatives like these can really make a difference,” Johnson said. “Through LIHEAP Summer Action Day, we’re urging Congress to look to the future and provide the $5.1 billion needed for LIHEAP. By doing so, we are helping ensure warm-weather states like Mississippi get the necessary funds to help those in need manage the devastating heat of summer.”

Entergy Mississippi, Inc. provides electricity to more than 437,000 customers in 45 counties. It is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including more than 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power, making it one of the nation’s leading nuclear generators. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.8 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $11 billion and approximately 15,000 employees.

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