Meet Ivette Velez: One of Many Friendly Neighborhood Energy Center Energy Experts
Posted on: May 02, 2023Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) connects with customers in several ways: through its knowledgeable Customer Call Center representatives, appearances at community events, and the account management tools on pgworks.com. But for a one-on-one, personal touch, customers can make an appointment or walk into one of the more than one dozen Neighborhood Energy Centers (NECs) located throughout Philadelphia and meet with PGW-trained energy experts.
NECs are one-stop shops that offer PGW customers a variety of services, including energy conservation workshops and home weatherization. Additionally, customers struggling to pay their bills or who have been notified of service termination can meet with knowledgeable energy advisors like Ivette Velez, who delights in serving customers at the New Kensington Community Development Center.
Ivette Velez assists a PGW customer at the New Kensington Community Development Center.
“I love helping people,” Ivette said, “I love helping my customers.”
New Kensington is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Customers may either walk in or make an appointment to discuss their PGW accounts with Ivette. Before visiting an NEC, she advises that customers have:
- PGW natural gas bill.
- Information on household income sources.
- 30 days of paycheck stubs.
- Social Security number.
- Driver’s license or a form of identification.
“I do an education in energy savings tips,” Ivette said, describing how she sits with customers to review their usage patterns, bill charges, and what options are available to them.
She asks customers about their household size to determine what PGW payment assistance program is right for them. She also finds out what temperature their thermostat is set to help conserve energy and lower their bills and gives them other home energy-efficiency tips.
Coming out of the winter months when natural gas usage is higher, Ivette advises customers to apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which runs through May 12, 2023 and offers up to $1,000 that does not have to be repaid. She also encourages income-eligible customers to enroll in PGW’s Customer Responsibility Program (CRP) which can lower their monthly gas bills depending on household size and income.
The New Kensington Community Development Center is one of more than a dozen Neighborhood Energy Centers where PGW-trained energy experts help customers.
Line-by-line, Ivette guides customers through the paperwork and submits the application on their behalf.
For those customers who come to her but do not qualify for low-income programs, Ivette offers hope and encouragement. “Some seniors will say ‘I worked all my life and I’m not eligible for LIHEAP or CRP,’” Ivette said. “I just let them know to contact PGW, they have budget billing (which estimates yearly gas usage and divides the total evenly over 12 months). ”
NEC counselors like Ivette go above and beyond to reduce stress for their customers. If someone forgets to bring their documentation or does not have access to a computer, Ivette shares her work cell phone, email address, or fax to ensure that all proper documentation is submitted so they get the help they need.
“I don’t let them leave and say, ‘it’s incomplete.’ I know the struggle. I was low-income also, so I know how it is.”
For a complete list of Neighborhood Energy Centers, visit pgworks.com/uploads/pdfs/NeighborhoodEnergyCenters.pdf
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