What if rate freezes were just the start for helping families?

Every day, we hear from families across New York who are doing everything right, and still falling behind. They are working and budgeting, yet they are still one unexpected bill away from a crisis. Working families with no financial cushion urgently need us to treat affordability as a genuine priority, not just a buzzword.

United Way data shows that 59% of working-age New Yorkers are struggling to make ends meet. So when a utility announces it will freeze its rates and hold the line on costs for another year, that becomes real relief for real people.

National Grid recently filed a proposal with the New York State Public Service Commission to freeze rates for its 1.9 million customers on Long Island and in Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. If approved, customers will not see any increase in their gas bills through March 2028. The company also has committed to making continued critical infrastructure investments and maintenance work.

We know this is not a permanent fix. A rate freeze is not a rate cut, and eventually, rates will likely rise again.

What matters is timing, and that with this proposal future rate increases will not hit customers' wallets for at least two more years. That breathing room is not abstract. It is the senior on a fixed income in Brooklyn who doesn't have to choose between heat and medication this winter. It is the small business owner in Hempstead who can create their annual budget and grow their business based on known costs.

As leaders of United Way of Long Island and United Way of New York City, we know the affordability crises hitting our communities are not separate struggles. Energy costs are no small burden: We've heard stories of low-income families carrying overdue balances they simply can't dig out from, choosing between paying their utility bills versus rent or groceries. The Consumer Price Index shows that energy costs have been a persistent driver of inflation, and they hit lower-income households, who spend a disproportionate share of their income on utilities, hardest. With working families making impossible spending choices daily, relief in one area can create stability across an entire household budget.

At United Way, we are calling on businesses, utilities and industries of all kinds to evaluate how they can help ease the financial burden on the families they serve. Utility providers can strengthen existing financial assistance programs by connecting eligible customers to available resources and partnering with trusted community-based organizations to increase awareness and utilization of those resources, ensuring more families receive support before they reach a crisis. Businesses and philanthropic partners can build on this work by investing in organizations that help families access public benefits, navigate available resources and strengthen their financial stability. No single organization can solve this challenge alone, but together we can invest in communities to ensure that every New Yorker can keep the lights on and move toward a more stable future.

The people we serve across the country are watching. What National Grid accomplished here is proof that relief is possible. Industries in New York and beyond owe it to their customers to find out how they can do the same.

This guest essay reflects the views of Theresa A. Regnante, the president and CEO of United Way of Long Island, and Grace Bonilla, president and CEO of United Way of New York City.