A pilot program in Dubuque will allow residents with past-due utility bills to pay their debts by volunteering.
Beginning January 1st, the Community Impact Service Program will allow residents to reduce late or delinquent City-assessed fines and fees by serving the community or completing personal or professional development work.
Those participating will be involved in things such as litter cleanup and tree planting to learning about resume-building, budgeting, or financial literacy.
People experiencing financial hardship can earn $28-dollars-88 cents for every hour of service time. Two hours of volunteer service are required each week. The length of the program varies by the utility billing balance, but won’t exceed 6 months.
The city is setting aside $9,000 to help residents. If the pilot is successful, Dubuque is considering expanding the program to cover other City-assessed fines and fees.
Residents interested in the program can visit the Multicultural Family Center at 1157 Central Avenue or the city of Dubuque website.
