CPUC Celebrates California Lifeline Awareness Week

California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS RELEASE Media Contact: Terrie Prosper, 415.703.1366, news@cpuc.ca.gov

CPUC CELEBRATES CALIFORNIA LIFELINE AWARENESS WEEK

SAN FRANCISCO, September 1, 2009 - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today announced a number of events planned throughout the state for National Telephone Discount LifeLine Awareness Week, September 14-20, 2009.

LifeLine Awareness Week is a national campaign to encourage qualified consumers to take advantage of California LifeLine, which provides discounted home phone service. Consumers enrolled in the program pay a fraction of the regular cost of home telephone service from their phone company.

During LifeLine Awareness Week, the CPUC will meet with various community groups throughout the state to promote California LifeLine. In addition, consumers can attend any of the following events in September to learn about the program:

Date and Time	Location
September 9, 2009, 12:15 p.m.	Encinitas Senior Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Dr., Encinitas
September 10, 2009, 10 a.m.	Carlsbad Senior Center, 799 Pine Ave., Carlsbad
September 12, 2009, 9 a.m.	Hmong Family Healthy Day, organized by the Hmong Women's Heritage Association, Meadowview Park, 7760 24^th St., Sacramento
September 14, 2009, 11 a.m.	Big Bear Valley Senior Center, 42651 Big Bear Blvd., Big Bear
September 14, 2009, 6 p.m.	San Diego Latino Health Mini Series, Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, 751 Medical Center Ct., Chula Vista
September 14, 2009, 11 a.m.	Lake Forest Senior Club, Lake Forest City Hall, 25550 Commercentre Dr., Suite 100, Lake Forest
September 16, 2009, 11 a.m.	Pico Rivera Senior Center, 9200 Mines Ave., Pico Rivera
September 16, 2009, 10 a.m.	Dixon Senior Center, 201 South 5th St., Dixon
September 17, 2009 1 p.m.	Chinese American Citizen Alliance 1044 Stockton St., San Francisco (Chinatown)
September 17, 2009, 6 p.m.	Los Nietos Neighborhood Center, 11640 Slauson Ave.,Los Nietos
September 17, 2009, 1 p.m.	Knotts Family and Parenting Institute, 1505 W. Highland Ave., Suite 19, San Bernardino
September 18, 2009, 11 a.m.	Kern County Library Tehachapi Branch, West Tehachapi Blvd., Suite A-400, Tehachapi

More events may be scheduled throughout the month. Please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov/LifeLineWeek for the most up to date listing.

In these tough economic times, it pays to take advantage of California LifeLine and get phone service for less than 25 cents a day. Having a landline at home not only allows for easy access to friends and family, but it is also important for receiving emergency information calls from local officials.

There are two ways consumers can qualify for California LifeLine:

1) If at least one member of a household is enrolled in any of the following public assistance programs:

· Medicaid/Medi-Cal

· Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC)

· Healthy Families Category A

· Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

· Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

· Federal Public Housing Assistance or Section 8

· Food Stamps or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

· National School Lunch's FREE Lunch Program (NSL)

· Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) also called:

o California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)

o Stanislaus County Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (StanWORKs)

o Welfare-to-Work (WTW)

o Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN)

· Tribal TANF

· Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance

· Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)

2) If the total household income is at or less than these income maximums:

Household Size	Maximum Annual Income (effective 06/01/09 to 05/31/10)
1-2 members	$24,000
3 members	$28,200
4 members	$34,000
Each additional member	Add $5,800 to $34,000

LifeLine Awareness Week is a unique state-federal partnership between the Federal Communications Commission, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, and various state utility commissions.

Consumers can learn more about LifeLine by calling their local phone company or the CPUC's LifeLine Center at 866-272-0357, or visit www.CaliforniaLifeLine.com or www.cpuc.ca.gov/LifeLineWeek.

For more information on communications issues, please visit www.CalPhoneInfo.com.

For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.

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