Give Back With JEA's Neighbor to Neighbor Fund

Founded in 1987, JEA’s Neighbor to Neighbor Fund is a way for customers and employees to provide temporary assistance to customers unable to pay their utility bill during a financial crisis. The Neighbor to Neighbor Fund helps elderly, disabled, and those less fortunate keep the lights on and water running.

Contribute With Your Monthly JEA Bill

Make a monthly donation commitment today and help light it forward.

• Every dollar counts. In 2018, 538 families were able to maintain utility services as a result of Neighbor to Neighbor. 
• Each customer contribution goes directly to people in need. No expenses are deducted by JEA or the United Way.
• Every donation is tax-deductible.

Sign In to Donate

If you don't have a jea.com account, register for one now. You can also sign up for Neighbor to Neighbor by calling (904) 665-6000.

Recognizing Local Agencies: JEA's Light It Forward Award

Each year, local agencies provide financial assistance in utility bill assistance to JEA customers in need. To recognize the people behind the scenes who make this happen, JEA created the Light it Forward Award. It honors local agency employees who go above and beyond to help low-income households.

2020 Light It Forward Award Winners

Pattie Gocke, Program Assistant, Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry (BEAM)

Pattie Gocke has been employed by BEAM for the past two-and-a-half years. Late one Friday, she fielded a call from a co-worker at the agency’s thrift store, sharing the story of a client who was worried their utilities could be disconnected at any time. Instead of calling it a night, Gocke reached out to the client with a listening ear. Despite a language barrier, she was able to secure the needed documentation for BEAM to provide financial assistance. Then first thing Monday morning, she reached out to the client to share that a payment had been made to their JEA account. Relieved, the client thanked her over and over. Along with utility assistance, Gocke schedules food pantry appointments and works with BEAM volunteers. Her coworkers bear witness to the fact that she never gives up, always remains calm and never hesitates to help.

Ed Palmer, Veterans Social Service Supervisor, Office of Military Affairs and Veterans, City of Jacksonville

A retired Navy veteran and COJ employee for more than 15 years, Ed Palmer helps fellow veterans avoid evictions and utility cutoffs, handling more than a thousand cases per year. While he has hundreds of stories of veterans getting life-changing assistance, he’ll never forget Lt. John. Homeless and living in James Weldon Johnson Park and the occasional shelter, Lt. John enlisted in the Navy as an E-1 (the lowest enlisted grade) and rose through the ranks before retiring as an O-3. While eligible for military retirement pay, a failed marriage and alcohol addiction made it hard to survive. “We got him off the street and into an alcohol rehabilitation program,” Palmer said. Lt. John expressed his appreciation, “Thank you for your help. You treated me professionally and non-judgmentally. When I left your office, I felt a burden lift off of my shoulders. Today, I am clean and sober…one day at a time.”

Nancy Chamblin, Financial Assistance Program Coordinator, Downtown Ecumenical Services Council (DESC)

Nancy Chamblin has served hundreds of families in financial despair over 14 years at DESC. Still she was not prepared for COVID-19 and its catastrophic impacts, which halted business as usual at DESC. When technology replaced face-to-face interviews, Chamblin never blinked. In her first remote case, she worked with the daughter of a 93-year-old woman to upload required  documents the client had no idea how to send electronically. In another example, a young mother lost her job as a security officer and found herself living in a car with her 4-year-old daughter. After finding a place to live, Chamblin drove to her apartment to pay the young family’s security deposit. These selfless acts demonstrate a natural part of who Nancy Chamblin is - quick to offer encouragement and moral support in times of need.

Learn About Previous Award Winners