Winter utility assistance is available from now through April for Skagway residents. Applications are due the second Friday of each month.
The Skagway Development Corporation (SDC) opened applications for 2024 utility assistance to Skagway residents.
Jon Hillis, executive director, said this is the fourth year of grants to help locals pay for power and heating during the winter months.
The program is funded by a donation from Royal Caribbean and supplemented by the municipality and local businesses.
Applications can be found on SDC’s website at the top right corner. Printed copies are available from SDC’s office on State Street, located in the Old You Say Tomato building.
The application is approximately four pages long and mirrors the state’s application for utility assistance. Hillis stressed the importance of completing all the paperwork.
Hillis: “…read through it and submit everything that’s required. Read each section, make sure it’s filled out completely. We get a lot of applications, and it can delay getting it out, getting yours done, when there’s incorrect information on it. So doing it right the first time is helpful. And just ask us for any help on it.”
Applications are due the second Friday of the month, for the previous month’s utility request. The grants are available from January to April. Hillis said the long-term health of the program depends on contributions.
Hillis: “…this program does work on donations. And if there’s anybody looking to support the program, they can definitely give us a call and we’re more than happy to talk about how to go about that. Because the funds will run out eventually.”
If approved, payments will be made directly to the applicant’s utility company.
