NES President/CEO Decosta Jenkins (r) inspects damage to downtown buildings with TVA Senior Vice President Dan Pratt (l). NES and TVA have partnered up to donate $100,000 each to those effected by the Christmas day bombing.
Nashville Electric Service (NES) is committed to helping customers seeking financial assistance due to unforeseeable circumstances.
Aside from the pandemic and severe weather events that disrupted the lives of Middle Tennesseans last year, the downtown bombing on Christmas Day furthered challenges for many Nashvillians living and working in the area. In response to the devastation, NES and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) are offering $200,000 in financial assistance to customers whose residence, business or employment was impacted by the bombing.
“All of us at TVA appreciate the strong partnership we have with NES, and the opportunity to join with them to help people get back to work and get businesses back up and running in downtown Nashville,” said Senior Vice President of Regional Relations Dan Pratt. “Our partnership doubles the impact we can have on serving the community and helping those who were affected by the tragic bombing.”
Residential customers who qualify for assistance will receive $300, while commercial customers who qualify will receive $1,200. Both residential and commercial applicants who no longer have an active account within the NES system will receive a lesser amount of their final account balance. Employees working at impacted businesses during the time of the bombing will need to provide proof of employment such as a pay stub, separation notice or a letter from their employer.
“What happened last year was devastating for the city of Nashville, but NES is fortunate enough to be able to lend a helping hand,” said Sylvia Smith, vice president of Customer Services. “We are grateful for our customers, so this is just another way to continuously return the favor.”
There are no income restrictions, and customers who are interested should apply online via <NeedLink>. NES is working with NeedLink to determine eligibility for impacted residences and businesses using its customer database for account information and verification of physical addresses.
Customers can contact NES Customer Relations at 615-736-6900 for assistance with disconnections, account payments and credit arrangements. For in-person service, customers may visit the NES lobby at 1214 Church Street, Monday-Friday from 8 am-6 pm.
Only 25 customers at a time are allowed inside the Customer Service lobby to meet COVID-19 safety/social distancing protocols. Customers may also handle in-person transactions at the Enbright Credit Union locations located at 2340 Jackson Downs Boulevard in Donelson and 270 Indian Lake Boulevard in Hendersonville.
Other Resources for bill assistance include:
Residential
NES Helps: Visit <www.NEShelps.com>.
Nashville Response Fund: Visit <www.nashvilleresponsefund.com/individuals>.
Metro Action Commission: If you live in Davidson County, apply for energy assistance at <www.nashville.gov/mac>, or call 615-862-8860, ext. 70100, to request an application to be sent by mail. You can also request an application by emailing <maccustomer@nashville.gov>.
Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency: visit <www.midcumberland.org>.
Commercial
Tennessee Small Business Development Center: The Tennessee SBDC offers free advice to help you navigate this unprecedented event. Visit <www.tsbdc.org/coronavirus> for information about financial assistance, tax relief and other valuable resources.
NFIB: The National Federation of Independent Business has a page dedicated to coronavirus resources and toolkits for small businesses. Visit <www.nfib.com/tennessee>.
U.S. Small Business Administration: Click on the yellow banner at the top of the page for COVID-19 relief options and additional resources at <www.sba.gov/offices/district/tn/nashville>.
United Way: The United Way is working to coordinate with local government, nonprofit and association leaders to provide information and resources as quickly as possible at <www.nashvilleresponsefund.com>. Click on the link at the top of the page for Small Businesses.
Hello Alice: Hello Alice is offering $10,000 ‘Business for All’ grants to small business owners impacted by COVID-19, as well as a business resource center with funding resources and support for small business owners. Go to <www.covid19businesscenter.com> to apply or find resources.
