When Angela Rose arrived at our annual Customer Care Pop up at the Watershed in Little Rock this summer, she hoped to get payment assistance with her bill. Before she left, she told our volunteers that she left with something even more essential, a fan that could help prevent her health issue during extreme heat. “If I overheat, I have seizures,” Rose said. “So having a fan is very important, and I’ve been without one for a minute.”
Maya Nation, a single mom of five, was also among those standing in line when the doors opened for the event. “I was out here trying to get assistance with my energy bill — all bills really,” Nation said. “Getting resources is very important to me. There’s a lot of resources down here that I didn’t expect to be here so it’s a great spot to be in right now. As soon as I get home this fan is getting plugged in.”
This year, our Customer Care Pop-Ups have powered real impact by connecting our customers with the assistance they need to endure the extreme summer heat and save money in the process. Entergy Arkansas volunteers partnered with community action agencies to meet with our customers face-to-face at community events, festivals, celebrations and crisis centers across the state. From Helena-West Helena to Eudora to Little Rock and surrounding areas, our volunteers have [insert bill offerings by impact…ending with billing and service issues] answered billing questions, addressed streetlight issues, connected families to LIHEAP and Energy Solutions, and even closed or updated accounts on the spot.
In addition to the affordability solutions like the Customer Care Pop-ups that will continue throughout the year, we pride ourselves on showing up for the communities when there is a need. Whether it’s showing up for community relief efforts after tornadoes and severe weather leaves a path of destruction and families are putting their lives back together, investing in workforce development solutions that ensure more Arkansans are ready for the workforce, supporting education initiatives that prepare our youth for success, or engaging with local leaders to support the efforts that are important to their constituents. The result? Customers served, the community supported, trust strengthened, and Entergy’s commitment to powering life on full display.
Notable event so far this year took place in Jefferson County, Helena-West Helena, Little Rock, Cave City, Pine Bluff, Eudora, and other areas. Highlights include:
- Partnerships with Energy Solutions, LIHEAP, CADC, Legal Aid and local leaders to connect customers to assistance programs and distribute fans to help keep homes cooler during the summer heat. This year, we have helped our customers secure more than $8 million in LIHEAP funds.
- Crisis support after budget cuts impacted customer in in Jefferson and Pulaski Counties and a tornado in Cave City, helping customers set up payment arrangements, close accounts, and understand next steps.
- Community engagement at major gatherings like the Black Business Expo, Juneteenth Celebrations in Little Rock, the Pine Bluff Business Expo, to share resources on energy savings, Kids to College, and job and vendor opportunities.
Opportunities to help customers included billing issues and streetlight concerns and have guided event focus, with local mayors and city officials offering input on priorities. Requests to attend community events continue to grow, with upcoming activations throughout August and into September.
