Mineral Wells Area News

By Lori Garcia

Mineral Wells Center of Life Outreach Coordinator

The last quarter of 2023 proved to usher an influx of clients into Mineral Wells Center of Life requesting assistance specifically with the rising costs of water bills.

The MWCOL Team began tossing around ideas and seeking out possibilities of directly assisting with water bill payment. In mid-December of last year, an anonymous donor came to the center to donate and inquired about direct funding towards the increased water costs. With this in mind, one of the Center of Life’s goals when submitting their application to the 100 Women of Palo Pinto County grant competition, which they won in February 2024, was to allot an amount of the money received to a Water Bill Fund. While the process was still in the early stages of planning, an additional anonymous donor approached MWCOL with a similar desire to aid those struggling to cover water expenses.

With a second private donor and the allocation of $3000.00 from the 100 Women Grant, it was clear that provision was being made to bring the Water Bill Assistance Program to fruition. MWCOL has recently started assisting clients with Water Bill coverage.

“The system is still being smoothed out,” said Director Amber Brooks. She said the procedure will look similar to the Salvation Army’s process, whom they partner with to offer financial relief.

Each week, the Salvation Army is available on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 am until 11:30 am to assist with utility bill payment. Once every twelve months, clients are eligible to have up to $150.00 applied towards a gas bill, electric bill, or water bill that is late on payment, or has been given a disconnect date. However they cannot assist once a service has been disconnected.

Non-narcotic prescriptions can also be covered under the same guidelines. To receive assistance, as long as clients have not been a previous recipient of charity, they simply need a copy of their current bill and their Driver’s License or ID, with a completed form that can be accessed at Mineral Wells Center of Life.

The Center of Life Water Bill Assistance Program will differ from these parameters in that they are able to assist once a client’s water has been turned off and will pay the Re-connect Fee.

The purpose of the fund will be to help fill in the gaps where individuals are unable to meet the deficits and where other resources are also limited. Plans for the Program are indefinite and will be available as long as funds are present.

The process of applying for help with a water bill has been somewhat simplified if clients have access to the Center’s website. Specific instructions, along with an online form can be found under the site’s Services tab.  

If all the information provided is accurate and a bill with an ID can be sent to the email address listed, most often a trip to the MWCOL office won’t even be necessary. Clients will be contacted once arrangements have been made by Staff. The objective is to help quickly and efficiently amid the growing number of new clients.

However, if clients cannot fill out the form online, they can come into the office to retrieve the necessary paperwork. A water bill and Driver’s License or ID are required. The most important information needed to make payments to clients’ accounts is an account number, as well as the exact amount of the last payment made. MWCOL Staff urge clients to call the water company and verify this amount when providing information to avoid any delay in payment being made.

There are also several other services offered that can be accessed online. The website hosts links where appointments can be made for additional financial assistance and aid in applying for or navigating application processes for government assistance or obtaining and replacing personal documents.

Understanding the stress that increased utility bill costs can bring to the individual lives of residents, and the potential division that can be caused within the community, Brooks’ was adamant to communicate the concern of all involved, from those making tough decisions for the city to those seemingly suffering the consequences of the tough decisions.

Brooks stated, “I fully support our City Council and I fully support our community. The entire process leading up to the increase, during the evaluation and the water studies, several council people reached out requesting information concerning options on how to assist with creating resources to manage the onslaught of the costs. There is still currently, active, open communication with them for a feasible resolution.”

Encouraged by the support, the Center of Life Team is hopeful in the success of alleviating hardship with the unity of hearts and resources.

As a non-profit organization, all funding available to serve the community is made available strictly by the generosity of donors and grants sought out by and awarded to the Center. Anyone interested in contributing to any of the operations at Mineral Wells Center of Life can do so in various ways. QR codes for Cash App & Venmo, along with a Pay Pal link can be located on the website. Checks and cash can be mailed or dropped off at the Center. All donations are tax deductible. Brooks encourages the community to watch the website and social media pages for updates, ways to contribute, and news on programs and assistance available.

Editor’s Note: Of the $13,000 set aside for Water Bill Relief, $2k has already been exhausted in the first few days. More donations are needed to replenish the funds. Link to donate here