Good Neighbor Fund

Unexpected situations can make it difficult to pay utility bills. For this reason, in 2003, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) set up a fund, now known as the John Alfred and Oscar Johnson Memorial Trust/BPU Good Neighbor Fund. 

Qualifications to Receive the Good Neighbor Fund

In 2015, the fund was expanded to help customers of any income level who meet the following qualifications:

• Maintain or attempt to maintain a regular bill payment record
• Receive no Social Services assistance for utility bills
• Experienced a sudden hardship

Hardship Examples

Examples of hardships (not limited to these examples):

• An accident or sudden illness that could tie up your regular income for a period of time.
• Immediate house repairs that leave you with utility bills you can’t pay on time.
• Sudden unemployment that could prevent you from paying BPU bills right away.
• An unknown leak in your plumbing that results in a high water bill quickly.

The Salvation Army - one of John Alfred Johnson’s favorite charitable organizations -verifies your hardship.