Back in 1983, PPL created a program – unique for utilities at the time – to help families in need pay their heating bills, whether they used electricity, natural gas, oil or coal to heat their homes.

This program, which PPL calls Operation HELP, has raised nearly $10 million since then, and has been a model for programs started by other utilities across the country. The donations come from PPL, its customers and its employees.

As the name suggests, Operation HELP assists families in eastern and central Pennsylvania who are having trouble making ends meet because of financial hardships such as unemployment, disability or medical emergency.

"It’s neighbor helping neighbor, a concept PPL strongly supports," said Evelyn Soto, PPL customer relations specialist.

"Each year around the holidays, PPL includes a message in electric bills asking customers if they would be willing to add $1, $2 or $5 to their bill each month for Operation HELP, or make a one-time donation," she said. "We are always gratified by the response from people ready to help those in need."

This year, PPL has received Operation HELP donations of $460,000 from the public and PPL employees.

Fifteen community agencies in eastern and central Pennsylvania administer Operation HELP for PPL. The agencies take requests for aid, interview applicants and distribute funds.

"Over the years, the money we have raised through Operation HELP has enabled 40,000 families in eastern and central Pennsylvania to keep the heat on through the winter," Soto said.

"And when PPL customers donate to Operation HELP, they can be assured that every dollar goes directly to families in need," she added. "We use no customer contributions for administration or promotion expenses. We audit Operation HELP each year to ensure that the funds are used properly."

Based in Allentown, Pa., PPL Corp. is a FORTUNE 500® company that delivers electricity and natural gas to more than 1.4 million customers in Pennsylvania; markets wholesale or retail energy in 42 U.S. states and Canada; provides energy services for businesses in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S.; generates electricity at power plants in Pennsylvania, Maine and Montana; delivers electricity to 2.4 million customers in the United Kingdom; and delivers electricity to more than 2 million customers in Chile, Bolivia, El Salvador and Brazil.

Donations to Operation HELP are tax deductible and are used to assist needy families for energy-bill payments. To assure that the funds are used properly, a financial audit is conducted annually for each administrating agency by a Certified Public Accounting firm. PPL reviews each agency?s recordkeeping procedures annually. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free in Pennsylvania 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.