Our Power in Partnership series highlights our national and regional partners and the work they do to build healthier communities.

Tell us about your organization.

Through the Trees is a nonprofit that was founded in 2020 to bridge the digital divide in Transylvania County, North Carolina. The pandemic affected our community significantly. Families with children enrolled in school suddenly had to pivot and educate their children at home virtually. With only limited access to technology and the Internet, many families struggled.

How would you explain the digital divide and why bridging it should be a top priority for state, local, and federal governments?

The digital divide disproportionately affects low-income families, rural communities, and marginalized groups, and it has become increasingly pronounced during the pandemic as more aspects of daily life move online.

Lack of access has significant ramifications on health and education. It is crucial that funding and resources help close this gap and ensure all members of society have equal access. Doing so will not only benefit individuals and families, but also lead to stronger and more prosperous communities and economies.

What are the main programs or offerings that Through the Trees provides? How has this expanded or evolved over time?

Our main focus is on providing Internet connectivity and devices to low-income households. We assess their current Internet options and what devices they are using. We help households apply to the Affordable Connectivity Program, which can provide a $30 discount on their monthly Internet bill. Our electronic refurbishing program allows us to match donated devices to individuals as needed.

As our organization has evolved, we have expanded our offerings to include ongoing support through digital literacy programs. We recognize that access to technology is just the first step in bridging the digital divide, and that ongoing education and support is critical to ensuring individuals and families can fully utilize the technology available to them. Through digital literacy programs, we provide training on topics such as online safety, basic computer skills, and job search and resume building. Our goal is to empower individuals with the skills and knowledge they need to fully participate in our increasingly digital world.

What was your experience like getting funding for Internet subsidies for the people that you serve? Were there any challenges or lessons learned that you could share?

The very first services we offered were Internet subsidies. Our program eased the burden of paying for the Internet at home. Through private donations and funding from Lake Toxaway Charities and Smart Start of Transylvania County, we paid $35 for six months.

Before the pandemic, many folks were getting by with free Internet access in town and did not have the financial resources to pay for it at home. In our county, the main Internet provider cost $75 a month. In our first year of operation, the only Internet subsidy program was Lifeline. This federal government program paid $9 a month directly to the service provider. Individuals had to get approved and apply this discount by going to the provider’s office in person. Having no way to do it online, this benefit was not used much at all.

We coupled our subsidy program with Lifeline to help bring their monthly bill down by nearly $45 per month.

When the government offered the Emergency Broadband Benefit in spring of 2021, our local provider was not a participant. They ended up applying and by September of that year, we were able to pivot and help folks apply to that service before offering ours. The EBB paid $50 a month towards Internet bills, allowing us to reserve our Internet subsidy funding for people who still could not be approved. This mainly affected households where the adults were not U.S. citizens. Providing a Social Security Number was a requirement for the EBB. Being able to pivot and staying up to date with the Broadband expansion community helped us support many households on a shoestring budget in our first year.

Through the Trees recently started working with formerly incarcerated people who are reentering society. Can you tell us more about this program?

A woman that we helped in our first year of operation has become a change agent for United Way. This year, she started referring reentry clients to us. Through Internet subsidies and donated devices, we are giving these individuals the tools they need to be successful. It’s a full-circle moment and we love seeing those ripple effects of support.

How does collaborating with community-based organizations play a role in your work?

The Unite Us Platform allows us to receive referrals from other agencies in and out of the country. The Emergency Broadband Benefit transitioned to the Affordable Connectivity Program in spring of 2022. We have been a part of this great platform for a year now. What we love about these out-of-town referrals and the federal Internet subsidy program is that we are no longer restricted by the boundaries of Transylvania County. We have officially changed our mission statement to “Connecting the Community through Technology,” and we can accept referrals from anywhere.

Why did you choose to partner with Unite Us? How has working with Unite Us impacted the work that you do?

Through the Trees chose to partner with Unite Us because they have a platform that helps streamline the referral process for social services in our community. We recognized that many of the people we serve may need additional support beyond Internet access and devices, and Unite Us provides a way for us to easily refer individuals to other organizations for services such as healthcare, food assistance, and housing.

Working with Unite Us has allowed us to provide a more comprehensive approach to helping people in our community. By collaborating with other organizations, we can ensure that the people we serve are getting the support they need to thrive. Unite Us has also provided us with a way to track our referrals and see the impact of our work in real time.

What’s next for Through the Trees?

Through the Trees has a number of exciting initiatives planned for the future. We are thrilled to be opening our Upcycle Tech thrift store, which will be a valuable resource for our community. With the thrift store, we aim to help people refurbish their devices and make technology more accessible to those who might not be able to afford it otherwise. This will allow us to continue providing devices to more people in our community and reduce the number of electronics that end up in landfills.

We are also considering hosting a conference that will focus on helping educators in our area learn about ways that AI can impact their teaching. The conference will provide an opportunity for educators to learn about new tools and techniques they can use to enhance their students’ learning experiences.

Lastly, we are looking to expand our work in the community, which includes exploring new partnerships with local organizations and expanding the services we offer. Our goal is to continue to bridge the digital divide in Transylvania County and ensure everyone has access to the technology they need to thrive in the digital age.

For more information about Through the Trees, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or visit our website. You can also come to our shop, Upcycle Tech, located at 470 Asheville Hwy, Suite B, Brevard, NC 28712. We look forward to meeting you.

Collaborative Partnership

It is partnerships like these that enable Unite Us to work collaboratively with community partners across the country to connect individuals to the services they need when they need them most. Our national network includes a wide range of utilities organizations and programs that can offer support for home energy, Internet access, and utility bill payment. To learn more about how Unite Us can help organizations proactively identify and address their community’s needs with a data-driven approach, read our blog on connecting utility customers to social care.

Learn more about how to bring Unite Us to your organization: 

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People who are experiencing barriers to paying their energy bills often also face a host of other social, financial, and personal challenges. Many organizations are increasingly aware of the complex interplay of socio-economic and demographic circumstances that can influence or shape health and well-being. Known as drivers of health (DOH), these factors must be acknowledged and addressed to meet social needs and improve health outcomes in a person or a population.

For example, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 27 percent of American households experienced “energy insecurity,” or the inability to readily meet basic needs for electricity and heat in 2019. Often, people in such vulnerable circumstances are forced to make difficult, life-impacting decisions. Should they pay their energy bill this month or lower their heat to an unsafe temperature? Should they cut back on groceries or forego costly prescriptions? 

If utility companies are to effectively address and reduce recurring unpaid utility bills, they need to take into account the socio-economic conditions that make customers energy-insecure and affect their ability to pay. 

A data-driven approach can help proactively identify those customers and the challenges they face while connecting them to the resources that can alleviate their specific barriers and gaps.

Leveraging Data to Identify and Address Social Needs

Unite Us leverages data to understand social needs and help improve social or healthcare outcomes. Our Social Needs System (SNS) is the industry standard for identifying and measuring DOH needs. These insights inform effective strategies for engaging community-based organizations to meet social needs and close gaps with measurable impact. 

Energy insecurity is often one of those factors. Over the past year, the Unite Us Platform has managed over 25,800 utilities cases for 18,700 clients. From 2014 to 2022, utilities needs have represented 6.78 percent of the total cases served, making them the fifth most common need. In 2022, utilities needs fell slightly to 5.76 percent of total cases, making them seventh highest on the list. 

Clients with a utility need are also typically at higher risk of having other co-occurring needs. For example, in 2022, data from the Unite Us Platform shows that 32 percent of clients (over 20,000 in total) with a utility need also had a need for housing and shelter. Twenty-two percent of clients with a utility need (over 13,000) also had a co-occurring need for food assistance. Organizations that use Unite Us can identify and serve individuals with co-occurring needs to address their utility needs and improve their overall well-being.

Accessing the Power of Coordinated Care Networks

For utility companies to effectively reduce unpaid utility bills, it helps to enlist or activate the support of social service groups and community programs. These collaborative organizations already providing health and social care are usually well positioned to aid people who struggle with the web of challenges that make it hard to pay utility bills. 

For example, AES Indiana and Citizens Energy Group have joined forces to help utility customers in difficulty access a variety of programs and resources, including a low-income home energy assistance program, a one-time assistance for income-qualified customers with an outstanding balance, flexible payment options and extensions, and free in-home energy assessments that can help decrease energy bills.

In New York and Massachusetts, National Grid helps support at-risk energy customers by directing them to a range of assistance programs, energy-saving strategies, and helpful tips for managing energy needs during the cold winter months.

Unite Us has deep experience with such organizations and programs across the country. Our national network across 44 states includes thousands of utilities organizations and programs that can offer support for home energy, internet access, and utility bill payment. When a utility company identifies a person who might require energy bill assistance, we can connect that individual to services that will meet their broader social needs and help them pay their utility bills.

Win-Win Energy Strategies with Enhanced Social Support

With persistent inflation and spikes in energy prices, 2023 promises to be a particularly challenging year for energy-insecure utility customers. To reduce unpaid bills, utilities must enhance their awareness of their at-risk customers’ socio-economic circumstances and help them access programs and support that can address their financial and social needs.  

Unite Us’ Payments solutions helps utility companies monitor spending and outcomes for assistance programs. It allows companies to streamline reporting and gain detailed, real-time visibility into how their funding is driving outcomes across the community. 

Follow these three steps to help customers access resources this year:

1. Connect with your local Unite Us team in any of 44 states across the country.

2. Leverage Unite Us’ comprehensive solutions to better understand the specific resources and assistance your customers need.

3. Tap into, launch, or expand bill payment assistance programs that can help customers with their utilities bills.

Learn more about how Unite Us can help your utility company proactively identify and address utility needs with a data-driven approach.

Request a Demo

The post Connecting Utility Customers to Social Care: A Data-Driven Approach for Utilities Companies appeared first on uniteus.com.

The winter weather has most of the country staying indoors and keeping warm. It’s a good time to keep utility bill assistance for your clients top of mind as you assess their needs and connect them to care in your community.

In 2021, utility bills increased by 10.4% in the U.S., impacting low-income households in particular. The rise in energy costs has increased the need for utility bill assistance this winter—and we’re here to help you connect your clients to the resources they need.

Utility Assistance and Drivers of Health

Organizations providing health and social care are well positioned to identify who may suffer from heat insecurity. During initial screenings and ongoing checks, you can find individuals who might require energy bill assistance. You can help provide energy resources for your clients in need even if utilities assistance isn’t part of your organization’s mission by connecting them to those services in a coordinated care network.

Comprehensive Care Through Partnership

Partnering with Unite Us simplifies your organization’s ability to refer clients to organizations that do provide energy assistance. Garry Bliss, Medicaid AE Program Director at Prospect Health Service says that Prospect Health Service’s partnership with Unite Rhode Island and Unite Us “enables us to transform what health means for individuals and families. Together, we can provide truly comprehensive care so our patients and clients can enjoy healthier lives.”

Four Steps to Help Your Clients with Utility Bill Assistance

1. Connect with your Unite Us community engagement managers and local team.

We believe in meeting you where you’re at — literally. Unite Us has regional community engagement managers and teams in 48 states across the country. Our team can help you build and scale your coordinated care network so you can support your community members by connecting them with services they need, like utilities assistance.

Our local teams also help your care community work together to identify service gaps and at-risk populations, so together you can enable members of your community to take ownership of their health.

2. Join your regional Unite Us network.

We have Unite Us networks across the United States. Joining your regional network ensures that you have access to local partners that provide a broad range of services such as housing, employment, food assistance, behavioral health, in addition to utility bill assistance.

The platform also gives you access to tools that help measure the impact of your services and track referral outcomes, allowing your organization to build tighter collaborations with other community-based organizations.

3. Ask clients about their needs through utilities screening.

When a person needs utility bill assistance, the first line of care often lies within their communities. That’s why it’s important for community-based organizations to be well prepared with the right tools and resources to connect people to services when they need help.

Unite Us’ comprehensive screening tools walk you step by step through the questions to ask individuals in your community to connect them to the health and social care they need. We help you understand the types of resources that individuals may need or be eligible for, such as utilities assistance, and what organizations can help.

4. Send a referral through Unite Us.

We help community-based organizations streamline the process of sending and receiving social care referrals so they can deliver more holistic, whole-person care to individuals in their community and track the impact of their work.

In communities across the country, utilities assistance providers are utilizing the Unite Us Platform to send electronic referrals on behalf of individuals to other organizations in the community. Not sure where to send someone? The Unite Us Platform will automatically suggest a referral based on screening answers, so you can rest assured knowing you are sending people to providers that are the best fit for their unique needs.

We want to meet you! Find your local network today, and start helping clients who need utility bill assistance get through this winter.

Contact Us

The post Keep Us Warm: Connect Clients with Utility Bill Assistance appeared first on uniteus.com.