Services:

HOME HEATING assistance for low-income households.

Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Households may receive assistance to pay their fuel bills to ensure continuity of service or to restore utilities that have been interrupted.

Assistance is based on household income, household size, fuel type, housing type, and several other factors.

Emergency crisis intervention is also available to repair or replace heating systems, provide emergency fuel supplies or purchase air conditioners and fans.

Older (over 60 years old) and/or disabled people can apply to local Social Assistance Centres between 1 October and 30 April each year.

All other households can apply from November 1st to April 30th.

Please bring the following items with you when you apply:

* Wage earners: copies of paycheck stubs for the 3-month period prior to the application date or a copy of your federal income tax return;

* Fixed income: copies of the last three months of check stubs from programs such as Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income, Family Investment Program, Veterans Assistance, Unemployment Insurance, or pensions.

* Self-employed/Farmers is a copy of your last federal income tax return;

* FIP and SSI recipients.

Your Medicaid number is listed on your Medicaid card.

The required numbers are placed immediately after your name and number in the field for the type of help; and income from alimony or child support needs to be verified.

Aquila Cares, Hometown Cares, I Care and Project Share Customers of utility companies contribute to these programs to provide energy assistance to qualified low-income households.

Contact your local outreach center to see if your utility is involved in your county.

Hours of Operation:

Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance program is called LIHEAP. They assist low income people and families with their heating and cooling bills. This program is therefore, a year long program that is available 12 months a year. To qualify for the LIHEAP assistance, you need to qualify. We provide the current Federal Poverty Rates nationwide below.

You are automatically qualified for LIHEAP assistance if you participate in the SNAP food stamps program, TANF Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or the SSI program through Social Security.

Federal Poverty Guidelines for 2024

Persons In Family	Earnings (100% Fed Poverty Guideline)
1	$15,060
2	$20,440
3	$25,820
4	$31,200
5	$36,580
6	$41,960
7	$47,340
8	$52,720

*Alaska and Hawaii have different rates for HUD federal poverty guidelines.
These numbers above represent 100% of the Federal Poverty Rate. In order to get legal aid from some offices, they use a sliding fee scale. When they use a sliding fee scale, the 100% rate can be different than 100%. In those cases, using for example a 200% federal poverty level, you will only need double the 100% number listed above to 200%.

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