Renee’s Case Story

For most people, an electric bill is an inconvenience. For Renee,* a 72-year-old woman living with multiple medical conditions and her two grandchildren, it is something closer to a lifeline. 

A Season of Hospitalizations

Over the course of two to three months, repeated hospitalizations had kept her away from home and away from her income. By the time she walked into the Kingsley Association for help, she was carrying shut-off notices from both Duquesne Light and Peoples Gas. Her Duquesne Light balance climbed to $1,182, and her Peoples Gas bill stood at $1,660. 

She had not been idle. She had applied for the Customer Assistance Program through Peoples Gas. She had contacted churches. She had reached out to family and friends. Her doctor had written a medical letter to buy a few extra days before the gas was shut off. She had done everything available to her. 

It still was not enough. 

What Was at Stake 

The details of her situation made the stakes clear. One of her heart medications requires refrigeration. Her stents depend on that medication to keep blood flowing. She lives with two children, and does not own a car. 

“I take a medicine that has to be in the refrigerator,” she explained, “and because I have three heart stents for blood flow to stay alive… with Footbridge’s help I can and will be able to stay in my home and not have to go to a nursing home.” 

Without power, the medication would fail. Without heat, a 72-year-old woman with two grandchildren in winter faces serious risk. The people who might have checked on her had no reason to know she was in trouble. 

“I’m 72 years old and I would’ve been in the dark with no heat or light and wouldn’t be able to eat,” she said. 

Closing the Gap 

Footbridge paid $1,375 to Duquesne Light and $1,124 to Peoples Gas. The payments did not cover the full balances, but they covered the majority. She worked with her caseworker to establish a realistic budget going forward, and her CAP enrollment will handle ongoing Peoples Gas payments automatically through her checking account. 

The partial assistance created the opening she needed. The utility companies, with a significant payment in hand, were able to work with her on the remainder. 

The Quiet Measure of Independence 

Renee’s story does not fit a single category of crisis. It is the product of age, illness, isolation, and the compounding effect of months spent in and out of the hospital.  

What Footbridge provided was the difference between a woman maintaining her independence in her own home and a woman with no good options. That distinction matters, particularly for someone who has spent her life navigating without much of a safety net beneath her. 

*This name has been changed for privacy reasons.