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<p style="font-weight:bold; display: inline; line-height:150%; font-size: 115%;">P.O. BOX 6015 <br />COLUMBIA, MO 65205</p></div>
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<p style="font-size: 150%; font-weight: bold;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p>
<p style="font-size: 120%; margin-top: -5px; font-weight:bold;">April 23, 2021</p>
<p style="float:right; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom: 25px; font-size: 100%; text-align:right;">CONTACT: Matt Nestor
<br />Public Information Specialist
<br />Utilities
<br />City of Columbia
<br />573.874.7307
<br />Matthew.Nestor@CoMo.gov</p>
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<div style="font-size: 110%; line-height:150%;"><h1 style="clear:both; margin-top: 75px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 130%;">The Crossing makes donation to City of Columbia to help residential customers with utility assistance</h1>
<div class="content"><span style="padding-left: 50px;">(COLUMBIA, MO)</span> - <p style="display:inline;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The City of Columbia has worked closely with The Crossing since it has announced its generous donation of $400,000 to go toward paying off residential utility accounts pending disconnection, and those that have a payment arrangement and are potentially at risk of being disconnected. The money will pay the balance on 888 residential accounts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We appreciate this unprecedented donation from The Crossing and its congregation," said Utilities Director David Sorrell. "These funds will help many members of our community who have faced adversity and have had difficulty paying their bill during the pandemic. We will continue to work with our community partners to do everything we can to help our customers who continue to face hardships due to COVID-19."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Crossing has identified the following criteria for the use of its donation:</span></p>
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<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pay off all residential utility accounts that are pending disconnection as of April 21, 2021. This will impact 243 accounts at a value of $118,753.05.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pay off all payment arrangements for residential utility accounts that were set up during the period of Jan. 1 thru April 21, 2021. This will impact 645 accounts at a value of $276,810.06.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">The remaining funds in the amount of $4,436.89 will be divided amongst the CASH and HELP utility assistance programs that are administered by the Division of Human Services (Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services Department).</span></li>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Community Foundation of Central Missouri, a third party, will handle the disbursement of these funds to the City of Columbia.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The City of Columbia will be sending letters to all customers letting them know if The Crossing donation will be applied to their residential utility account. If a customer does not receive a letter but needs utility assistance, they may contact Love Columbia at 573.256.7662 for potential assistance as The Crossing made a donation to them as well. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you have any additional questions, please contact the City of Columbia Utility Customer Services at 573.874.7380 or by email at </span><a href="mailto:UCS@CoMo.gov"><span style="font-weight: 400;">UCS@CoMo.gov</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">*These are the amounts as of April 21, 2021. The number of accounts and balances changes daily as customers make payments.</span></em></p></div>
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<div style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 20px; text-align:center;"><p>City of Columbia Vision<br>
<em>Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.</em></p>
<p>City of Columbia Mission<br>
<em>To serve the public through democratic, transparent and efficient government.</em></p>
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<p style="text-align:center;">-30-</p>
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