Consumers Energy and The Salvation Army Encourage Support for the PeopleCare Program to Help Those in Need

JACKSON, Mich., Dec. 28  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For many Michigan families struggling to make ends meet, an unexpected problem can wash away the joy of the holidays.

Often, those families just need a bit of help to get by:  A prescription for a sick child, a bag of groceries, or a tank of gas to get to work until the next paycheck.

Consumers Energy and The Salvation Army created PeopleCare to provide that help to individuals and families.  Last year, PeopleCare helped more than 10,000 households across Michigan, providing food, shelter, clothing, energy and other emergency aid.  The Salvation Army determines eligibility for energy bill credits and other help and distributes the aid.

Consumers Energy provided $1.5 million in energy bill credits this year, and the utility's customers and employees contributed more than $870,000 for PeopleCare.  In 2010, the utility will again provide $1.5 million in energy bill credits.

Since it was established in 1983, PeopleCare has helped 375,000 households in Michigan.  Consumers Energy employees and customers have donated nearly $13 million to support PeopleCare and the utility has contributed $27 million in energy bill credits for total support of $40 million.

Consumers Energy customers can support PeopleCare's work of helping families and individuals by checking a box at the top of their January energy bills.

Customers may donate $3 a month or make a one-time donation of $5 by checking one of the boxes at the top of their January bill.  Customers also may make a secure donation online using their credit card at http://www.usc.salvationarmy.org/peoplecare.

Contributions also may be made by calling 1-800-477-5050 and having a different amount added to the Consumers Energy bill.  Other contributions may be sent to:

  PeopleCare
  Consumers Energy
  Lansing, Mich.  48937-0001



"PeopleCare is focused on one goal:  Helping people in need.  For more than a quarter-century, PeopleCare has helped thousands of households with quick, direct assistance.  Consumers Energy and its employees are proud to support PeopleCare and to help those struggling to make ends meet," said Debra Harmon, the utility's customer assistance coordinator.

To see scenarios of families helped by PeopleCare, or to download a brochure, visit http://www.consumersenergy.com/peoplecare.

Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, provides natural gas and electricity to nearly 6.5 million of Michigan's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, visit our Website at http://www.consumersenergy.com/ 

DATASOURCE: Consumers Energy



CONTACT:  Dan Bishop, [phone], or Deb Dodd, [phone], both

of Consumers Energy



Web Site:  http://www.consumersenergy.com/ 

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