ARKANSAS, USA — Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas reminds the public that applications for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) are set to begin July 8.
The LIHEAP program offers financial assistance on electric bills for families in need. Summer has just begun, and 100-degree weather is already forecasted in the upcoming days. This can cost families a lot of money as they try to stay cool.
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This program is "designed to lower the energy burden from low-income households, who pay a high proportion of household income for home energy costs."
LIHEAP offers two types of assistance: regular and crisis. Regular assistance is "a one-time payment based on the household income and the number of household members." Crisis assistance is for those on the verge of being disconnected due to a past-due balance or "their bill is prepaid for less than seven days."
LIHEAP determines if you are eligible by your monthly income and the amount of people living in your home.
"We take a look at the maximum gross income that a family has coming in the previous month to determine eligibility," Delia Anderson, the executive director for the Washington County Economic Opportunity Agency.
For a full breakdown of eligible month salaries and household sizes, click here. Although you may be on the top income level, Anderson said assistance could still be on the table.
"If a family is close to our maximum income level, we still encourage people to reach out to us because there is a formula we apply to it, and they still might be eligible you," she said.
During the winter, Washington County had around 3,000 approved applications and Anderson expects a similar number this summer. Anderson added that Washington County alone will have around $700,000 to give out for the summer months.
Families can apply for assistance by finding the Community-Based Organization that serves their county. To find yours, click here.
To see if you are eligible, click here.
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