HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvanians who need help with heating costs can soon apply for help from the state.
A Lancaster County man is sharing how the program helped him off his feet during hard times. The program is officially called the Low Income Energy Assistance Program or LIHEAP.
LIHEAP helps families living on low incomes pay their heating bills in the form of a cash grant. Households in immediate danger of being without heat can also qualify for crisis grants. The cash grant is a one-time payment sent directly to the utility company/fuel provider to be credited on your bill. Because it is a grant, it does not have to be repaid.
LIHEAP helped Kevin Ressler when he went from college grad to unemployed.
"When I was younger, I had graduated college at the great recession, and I had twice worked for companies that went bankrupt nationwide and needed to rely on unemployment to survive," said Kevin Ressler of Lancaster County.
Ressler found himself needing extra cash to pay the bills.
"I had heating oil which is a common challenge for lower income families. The problem with heating oil is you have to buy 300 gallons at a time to fill your tank," explained Ressler.
He applied to the Low Income Energy Assistance Program or LIHEAP and received what he'd call a life changing grant.
"It helped me stay warm in the winter, and it helped me pay other bills," he said.
Ressler says it also took away some stress.
"I could focus on getting ready on getting a job and in fact was able to enroll in a graduate program at the time," said Ressler.
Ressler's story goes full circle.
"Because of being able to go to school, I am now able to be in the position to be president and CEO of the United Way of Lancaster County," said Ressler.
And United Way of Lancaster County runs the 211 center for 7 counties in our area. The 211 center connects people to different resources in their communities, such as LIHEAP. Eligible applicants can receive a minimum benefit of $200 a maximum benefit of $1,000. People in jeopardy of having their utility service terminated can receive up to $800 this year versus the previous $600.
"We know that the pandemic and economic downturn have made it difficult for many to keep up with home energy bills. That's why today I encourage everyone who may need assistance, or who has a loved one or neighbor that could benefit from this program to urge them to apply for LIHEAP," said Teresa Miller, Secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
"When you don't make your bills, your credit score gets rocked. When your credit score gets destroyed, you can't get a loan for your house, and your historical wealth gets decreased. We always have to remember the power of programs like LIHEAP to change lives when they're at their most vulnerable," added Ressler.
“No one should feel like they have to choose whether they should heat their home because they are worried about making ends meet. DHS administers safety-net programs to help some of the commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens get through times like these, and Pennsylvanians should know that LIHEAP is here for them if they need it," added Miller.
LIHEAP applications open on November 2 and end April 9, 2021.
“If you are falling behind on your utility bills, it is important to reach out for help early, don’t wait until you are in a crisis. You have options - PA 211 is one place you can turn. Simply dial 211, or text your zip code to 898-211 to speak with a resource navigator who will search for utility assistance that may be available in your area. 211 can also give you instructions about how to apply for LIHEAP,” said Kristen Rotz, President of the United Way of Pennsylvania and Executive Director of Pennsylvania 211.
During the 2019-2020 LIHEAP season, 312,140 households statewide received $88,692,268 million in LIHEAP cash benefits. These households received an average season benefit of $284.
The income limit for the program is 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Limit. For a household of three, this would be $32,580 gross income per year and for a household of four would be $39,300 per year. Pennsylvanians do not need to know their own eligibility in order to apply for these programs. Those who applied and were denied previously but have experienced a change in circumstances can reapply.
Pennsylvanians can apply for LIHEAP and other public assistance programs online at www.compass.state.pa.us. Those who prefer to submit paper applications can print from the website or request an application by phone at 1-800-692-7462 and mail it to their local County Assistance Office (CAO) or place it in a CAO’s secure drop box, if available. Dropping applications off at a CAO using the drop box can help avoid an application delay due to postal service delays. While CAOs remain closed to the public, work processing applications, determining eligibility, and issuing benefits continues.
For helpful tips on keeping warm throughout the winter while saving money on utility costs, visit www.energysavers.gov.
For more information on LIHEAP, visit www.dhs.pa.gov.
For an in-depth dive on LIHEAP, click here.