Maryland has the MEAP program: Maryland Energy Assistance. It helps people pay their electric, based upon their income and the number of persons in the house.
One of the stories about this said that the family had gotten assistance last year, probably MEAP, and evidently had not applied this year.
Also, DelMarVa Power has a Good Neighbor Energy Assistance Program that is administered by Salvation Army in Salisbury. Applicants can apply for that assistance; that money is from donations by DelMarVa Power customers.
The MEAP program is run by the state through county offices; the churches help people pay for various expenses and/or refer them to MEAP or could apply for the Good Neighbor funds.
He couldn’t apply for aid. He had an illegal electric meter on the house...applying for aid would have exposed him.
Sounds like there are options in place for those that need it, without expanding socialism any more than we already have.
Too bad this dad didn’t take advantage of it. I know of some people that don’t want help and want to provide for themselves, which is admirable. But... there are times they ought to.