Project Pal
Co-op Members Helping Co-op Members in Need
Pal helps pay your winter bill
Many co-op members struggle to make ends meet on the islands, even when times are good. For this reason, and especially to help in times of difficulty, Project Pal was created as a way for Co-op members to help each other to pay their electric bills during the heating season (November – April).
Pal is funded by voluntary donations: members helping members. It’s easy to apply for a grant online. Eligible households can get one PAL grant each year to help when bills are at their highest.
Apply for a Pal Grant
It’s easy to apply!
You need your OPALCO account number and household information.
Apply online
Households that qualify for other assistance programs or have special circumstances (such as hardships in health, employment or family status).
Donate to Pal
PAL depends on voluntary donations:
- round up your bill each month
- make a one-time or recurring monthly donation
- donate your community solar production credits
- make a charitable donation through our local community foundation
All about Project Pal in just 2 MINUTES!
Full video transcription:
Hi everyone, it’s Jo from OPALCO here to chat with you about one of our assistance programs, Project Pal. As we are moving out of summer and into the start of the school season and the start of the fall season, many islanders will be turning on their heating on those particularly chilly days.
Here on the islands, our heating season lasts for at least 6 months out of the year. With that being said, there are islanders who struggle to pay their bills when they are at their highest.
In an effort to lessen the burden on those islanders, the Project Pal initiative was created.
Project Pal is an OPALCO assistance program funded by members and distributed to eligible members during the heating season.
These Pal grants can be distributed to members who are already receiving assistance from other OPALCO programs.
Members can interact with Project Pal in two ways: by donating to help a neighbor or through applying and receiving grant funds.
In order to be eligible to receive Pal funds this year, you must be an OPALCO residential member, be an active member for at least 4 months prior to application, and you qualify for other assistance programs or are experiencing special circumstances in your household, such as hardships in health, employment, and family status.
For those interested in donating, there are a few ways you can do so. You can click the link on our website by visiting www.opalco.com/donate or you can fill out the section at the bottom of your monthly bill. When you go to donate, you can either choose to round up your bill to the nearest dollar each month (which would come to about $6.00 of extra cost per year for you), or you can make a one-time contribution of any amount you’d like.
To learn more about Project Pal, visit www.opalco.com/pal, send us a message on social media, or send an email to communications@opalco.com for more information.
Thank you for everything that you do as a co-op member!
Pal FAQs
Pal grants are administered by the OPALCO Member Services Team. Eligibility criteria include:
- you are an active member of OPALCO for the 4 months prior to application.
- you are a residential member.
- you qualify for other assistance programs or have special circumstance affecting your household (such as hardships in health, employment or family status).
Project Pal grants are awarded during the heating season (November-April). Complete the online application during the Pal season.
The majority of Pal funds come from donations from co-op members who round up their bill each month and/or make monthly donations.
Eligible members can get a Pal grant one time during each heating season (Nov-Apr). A member could get two Pal grants in a calendar year if, for example, they applied in March and also in November of the same year: two different Pal seasons.
Yes! If you receive a Pal grant, you are automatically eligible to apply for OPALCO’s monthly bill credit program, Energy Assist. With energy assist, you get a bill credit every month based on your household size.
OPALCO account numbers are on your power bill on the top right corner. You can also call 360-376-3500 to request your account number during business hours.
Call the OPALCO member service team at 360-376-3500.