Atmos Energy, Catholic Charities of Fort Worth team up to help people past due on energy bills

FORT WORTH, Texas - As people get ready to turn the heat back on across the region, some are dealing with past due energy bills.

An event to help Atmos Energy customers pay their overdue bills on Monday was a God-send for households.

It's called an Energy Assistance Blitz.

Nakara Cummings has three children and a tight monthly budget heading into the holiday season.

"It’ll help me with Christmas money, money for other bills," she said.

Atmos Energy, a gas provider in 28 Texas counties, notified customers of Monday's 4-hour-long opportunity held on the Catholic Charities of Fort Worth campus.

"We guide them by number, so it’s first come first served," said Courtney Walker of Catholic Charities of Fort Worth.

They sent out email and took out ads on social media sites.

Catholic charities also promoted the event.

"This particular blitz or funding source will pay for past due amounts, and today we did that as well as reconnections," said Walker.

By early afternoon, Atmos Energy indicated it had doled out over $100,000 in assistance on the spot.

The initiative, Sharing the Warmth, allows Atmos Energy to tap several sources, including special federal funding it receives each year.

"One of the main requirements that disqualifies eligibility is if you have received assistance at least three times during a calendar year, but outside of that, really the amount, we’re not looking at that as green light or not," said Devante Davis, a spokesman for Atmos Energy.

Nakara Cummings is happy to be among those receiving the help.

"They got me through the front desk, got me the paperwork I need it today and to a desk. It was really simple," she said.

Atmos holds the Assistance Blitz opportunities several times each year.

Monday's event was the final one for this year.