4 Pop-Up Events For Utility Bill Assistance Set In Somerset County

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — Somerset County will host four free pop-up resource events in October to connect residents with state programs that may help lower utility and energy bills.

The Somerset County Human Services Department is organizing the events as many households face higher costs for groceries, gas, and rent, along with rising monthly utility expenses.

Commissioner Elizabeth Graner, liaison to the Somerset County Human Services Department, said the events grew out of feedback collected through a county outreach effort.

"These resource events are in direct response to the feedback shared by our residents," Graner said. "Throughout 2025 and 2026, Somerset County partnered with the Civic Operations Group to launch a community-focused canvassing initiative. Through this outreach project, local canvassers knocked on a total of 133,000 doors (and counting!), engaged in over 23,000 conversations, and discovered that rising utility costs were one of the top concerns for residents across our County."

According to the county, about 40 percent of households in Somerset County are classified as Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, or ALICE, and another 5 percent are living below the federal poverty line.

The county said the events will help residents learn whether they qualify for the Universal Service Fund and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance programs, which could help lower heating, cooling, electric and natural gas bills.

The county said each event will offer support in English and Spanish and pair residents with a bilingual Human Services Navigator. The navigator can answer questions and guide residents through the application process.

"Somerset County is often viewed as an affluent community, but affordability challenges exist in every corner of our County," said Kate Russo, Planning Administrator for the Human Services Department. "Through feedback from residents and our frontline staff, we know that many individuals and families are struggling with rising utility costs. What many may not realize is that they could still qualify for valuable state assistance programs. These programs are designed to help working families and residents manage essential household expenses, and we want to make accessing that support as easy as possible."

All four events will run from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on these dates:

• Oct. 16 at Manville Library, 100 South 10th Avenue, Manville
• Oct. 17 at North Plainfield Library, 6 Rockview Avenue, North Plainfield
• Oct. 21 at Bridgewater Library, 1 Vogt Drive, Bridgewater
• Oct. 23 at the Human Services Building, 27 Warren Street, Somerville.

Residents can register through the county’s online form here, which is also available in Spanish.

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