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January 9, 2001
Naperville, Ill. – As previously planned, Nicor Gas announced today that it has increased the eligibility level in its Sharing program to persons earning up to 200 percent of the poverty level to help those who may have trouble paying their gas bills due to the significant rise in natural gas costs. The action was formalized in the wake of today's action by the Illinois General Assembly raising the eligibility level for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to 150 percent of the poverty level.
Over the past several months, Nicor twice increased the dollar amount of each individual Sharing grant – a one-time grant to help customers pay their gas bills in the current heating season – from $200 to $325. The grant program is administered by the Salvation Army.
"We are pleased to be able to qualify more people for participation in the Sharing program and to provide more money to each individual," said Julian Brown, Nicor Gas director of community relations. "This program will be especially valuable for low-income working families and persons on fixed incomes. Sharing is a safety net for people who fall outside the LIHEAP program, but may need help with their gas bills. This is especially true this winter because of the nationwide impact of higher natural gas prices."
Today's General Assembly action – first proposed by Governor George H. Ryan last fall – enables the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs to provide benefits to persons earning up to 150 percent of the poverty level – $25,560 annually for a family of four.
Nicor is responding by increasing Sharing eligibility from its previous level – persons earning 170 percent of the poverty level – up to 200 percent. That means that a family of four earning up to $34,128 per year is eligible for a Sharing grant. Persons who think they may qualify for a Sharing grant should contact their local Salvation Army office.
Sharing is a unique assistance program. Customers and Nicor employees make donations via their gas bills that are matched by Nicor Gas up to $200,000 annually. In place since 1983, Sharing has given more than $9 million to help nearly 60,000 people pay their gas bills.
Brown called upon Nicor customers to become co-contributors to the Sharing program by checking the appropriate box on their bill stubs and adding the amount to their payment. "We hope more customers will participate this year. We also want to remind our customers to keep an eye out for any relative, friend or neighbor they feel might be in need, and tell them about the Sharing program. Nicor Gas wants to make sure everyone who needs help gets help."
In addition to Sharing and LIHEAP, Nicor Gas last fall created a new Customer Payment Support Plan to assist all of its customers this winter. If a customer cannot make the total payment on their January or February bill, he/she can contact Nicor Gas at 1 888 Nicor4u (1 888 642-6748). The company will examine the amount owed and the estimated costs in future months, and arrange a payment plan that enables the customer to spread the amount due in regular increments over the warmer months. The customer will then make fixed monthly payments until September 2001.
"Some of our customers, particularly those on fixed incomes but who don't qualify for either LIHEAP or Sharing program assistance, are finding that the Customer Support Payment Plan is a solution to the higher gas bills this winter," said Rocco D'Alessandro, vice president customer services. "This is one more way Nicor is providing the highest level of service to our customers."
Nicor Gas serves more than 1.9 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. Nicor (NYSE: GAS) is a holding company. Its principal businesses are Nicor Gas and Tropical Shipping, a containerized shipping business that operates between Florida and the Caribbean. Nicor also owns several energy-related subsidiaries and is a partner in Nicor Energy, a provider of unregulated energy products and services. For more information, visit the Nicor web site at www.nicor.com. | 
