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For Immediate Release
November 7, 2008
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White: Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Now Available
LIHEAP
income eligibility expanded to $44,443 for family of four.
Franklin – Applications are now
being accepted for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP,
with additional funding allocated to help more families, according to state Sen.
Mary Jo White (R-21).
With the new allocation of
federal funds, eligibility for LIHEAP was expanded from 150 percent to
approximately 210 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines. For the
2008-09 season, that means a family of four with an annual income of up to
$44,443 can qualify.
"Home heating is one of those
items a family simply cannot do without. During the 2007-08 LIHEAP season,
nearly 541,000 families were helped through cash grants and more than 184,000
families received crisis assistance. If you need help, or know someone who does,
please look into the assistance that is available through LIHEAP," said White.
With the increased federal
funding, Pennsylvania also increased the minimum cash grant amount to families
from $100 to $300, while raising the maximum crisis grant from $300 to $800.
LIHEAP provides cash grants to help low-income households pay for home heating
fuel and crisis grants to address heating emergencies.
Cash grants are based on income,
family size, type of heating fuel and region. Crisis grants are provided to
resolve heating emergencies, such as furnace failures or unexpected fuel
shortages. In addition to proof of income and household size, applicants must
provide a recent bill or a statement from their fuel dealer verifying their
customer status and the type of fuel that they use.
Applications for LIHEAP are
available at county assistance offices and local utility companies. Several
county LIHEAP hotlines are available for help: Venango County (814-437-4354),
Warren County (814-726-2540), Clarion County (814-226-1780), and Erie County
(814-461-2002). The Forest County Assistance Office can be reached at
814-755-3552.
Applications for LIHEAP cash
grants are also available online at
www.compass.state.pa.us.
Contact:
Leigh Ramsey
(717) 787-9684
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