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Lifeline Awareness Week 2018 Letter from the Board President

A telephone is a lifeline to emergency services, family, jobs, schools, childcare and more. Going without a phone is a risk many do not want to take and, as President of the non-profit board that oversees a telephone assistance program in Illinois, I want to make your readers aware of a program that may help them get a telephone if they are struggling to afford one.

The Lifeline program is a federally-funded program that subsidizes the cost of one telephone per household, either a cell phone or a landline phone. Internet service as part of the cost of the phone is also being phased in and may be available from your phone provider.

Participants in Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, or Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefits programs or someone making 135% or less of federal poverty guideline are eligible. If you believe you may be eligible, contact your landline provider or a participating phone company. Links to information about participating companies are available on our website, www.linkupillinois.org.

In Illinois, a program funded entirely through voluntary donations also subsidizes the cost of phone installation for Lifeline participants. If you would like to donate to the program, you can do so on our website.

We all fall on hard times, but luckily no one has to choose to go without a phone. You can learn more about the program at linkupillinois.org.

Allen Cherry

UTAC Board President