TANGIPAHOA PARISH, La. — The only thing higher than the temperatures right now are our electric bills. And there are some struggling right now to make ends meet and keep their homes cool.
I learned of a cancer patient I once interviewed years ago who was facing a power shut-off, and wanted answers for others in the same situation.
Two years ago Sandy McLemore had to do something for the first time. Breast cancer had spread to her bones. That caused her upholstery, sewing, and art business to suffer. Financial hardships made her turn to the food pantry at the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington.
“It came in very very handy for me at a time when I was low on funds, and it was a godsend. It really was it was a blessing,” Sandy McLemore said in 2022.
Today, it's not only groceries that are a hardship, it's her Entergy bills.
“It's on the cut-off. You've got to get some money in here. They've done everything they could. They stretched it out as long as they could,” McLemore said of the E-mail she got from the company.
She now owes Entergy Louisiana more than $8,500. Her payment plan was canceled because she got behind. Her car has been repossessed and her Bedico home, in Tangipahoa Parish, still bears the scars of unfixed Hurricane Ida damage. Cancer changes not only your health but your life.
“When I was first diagnosed about 12 years ago, I didn't know what to do. I wasn't afraid of the cancer killing me. I was afraid of being on the street.”
Her cancer disabilities also mean she is unable to care for her home.
“I don't even let my best friend or neighbor come over and visit with me anymore, because it's embarrassing to me. It's a mess. It's just a mess,” McLemore said of her cluttered home.
Sandy has spoken to Entergy Louisiana numerous times. When the company saw she started a GoFundMe page and posted that WWL Louisiana was going to do a story, she says they held back a little longer on the shut-off.
An Entergy Louisiana spokesman tells us they have several programs for bill assistance for older adults, the disabled, low-income, and people struggling. They are looking into Sandy's specific case, and urge people struggling to call.
Meanwhile, Sandy just got some welcome news. A HUD grant she applied for to fix and reimburse her for Ida damage, was approved. That will help a little too with her power bill, but just for now.
“There's a mountain to climb and I don't know how to climb it. I don't know where to start."
Entergy Louisiana Statement:
We offer several bill assistance options for our customers. These options are detailed on our website: https://billtoolkit.entergy.com/louisiana/help-paying/. Among the available programs are The Power to Care, which supports older adults and disabled customers, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federally funded initiative that helps qualifying customers with energy-related costs. For customers struggling to pay their utility bills, we encourage them to visit our Bill Toolkit website or contact us at 1-800-ENTERGY to speak with a customer service representative who can assist with their unique situation.
David Freese, Entergy Louisiana communications
