DPW Press Release - LIHEAP Application Deadline Extended to April 15

By MB -
Oil heaterHARRISBURG, Pa., March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett's administration today announced that Pennsylvania's Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, will be extended more than two weeks, giving eligible households extra time to seek help paying their winter heating bills.

The federally funded LIHEAP program, which began accepting applications last November, was originally set to end March 31, but the commonwealth's efficient management of the program has enabled it to be extended through April 15.

"We have had a difficult winter amidst a difficult economy, and programs like LIHEAP have helped Pennsylvania's most vulnerable households endure both," Gov. Corbett said. "By providing this extension, we will be able to help even more Pennsylvanians provide a basic necessity for their families."

LIHEAP, administered through the Department of Public Welfare, provides cash grants to help low-income households pay for home heating fuel and crisis grants to address heating emergencies such as a furnace failure or unexpected fuel shortages.

Since the cash grant program opened last November, LIHEAP has helped more than 384,000 households pay heating bills. The crisis grant program has provided assistance to more than 88,000 households.

Cash grants are based on household income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Crisis grants are provided to resolve heating emergencies. 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 used.

LIHEAP applications are available at county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Applicants can call the LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095, Monday through Friday. Individuals with hearing impairments may call the TDD number at 1-800-451-5886.

Applications can also be submitted online at www.compass.state.pa.us.

Residents of the counties listed below should contact the agencies that operate the crisis component in their areas:

* Allegheny - Allegheny County Department of Human Services, 800-851-3838
* Carbon - Carbon County Action Committee, 610-377-6400
* Luzerne - Commission on Economic Opportunity of Luzerne County, 800- 822-0359
* Wyoming - Commission on Economic Opportunity of Wyoming Co., 570-836-4090


To ensure they have the resources to heat their homes the entire winter, LIHEAP consumers are urged to keep their thermostat set at 65 degrees unless they have young children or older adults living in the home.

For more information about LIHEAP, visit www.dpw.state.pa.us.

Media contact: Michael Race, 717-425-7606

Editor's Note: Household sizes and income limits for LIHEAP's 2010-11 season are listed below.

1-person -- $17,328 maximum income

2-person -- $23,312 maximum income

3-person -- $29,296 maximum income

4-person -- $35,280 maximum income

5-person -- $41,264 maximum income

6-person -- $47,248 maximum income

7-person -- $53,232 maximum income

8-person -- $59,216 maximum income

9-person -- $65,200 maximum income

10-person -- $71,184 maximum income

(For each additional person, add $5,984)

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PathWays PA E-Newsletter: August 6, 2012

By -
Image
Federal Policy Updates  CONGRESS IN AGREEMENT TO WORK ON A 6-MONTH CONTINUING RESOLUTION Last week House and Senate leaders announced that a deal has been reached to pass a 6-month continuing resolution to fund the federal government through next spring. Details of the agreement have not yet been made public, but the continuing resolution will reportedly fund federal agencies at current spending levels. With both chambers of Congress on summer recess, a vote on the agreement will likely be held in September, before the end of the fiscal year. If this agreement is enacted it will ensure that the government will not be shutdown at the end of September when the current spending plan ends. HELP MOVE THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT FORWARD The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) needs to be reauthorized to ensure the continuation of vital, life-saving programs and laws. It was the first piece of American legislation that recognized the pervasive nature of domestic violence,
Read more

Mini-Budget Update-Supporting the American Community Survey

By MB -
Image
(via The Census Project ) Next Tuesday, June 19 is an important date to mark on your calendar. The Congressional Joint Economic Committee is holding a public hearing on the economic impact of eliminating the American Community Survey (ACS) at 2:30 p.m., in Room 210 of the Canon House Office Building. Witnesses that will be speaking in opposition to the move to eliminate the ACS are Vincent Barabba, former director of the Census Bureau in two GOP administrations and Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Association of General Contractors and also representing the National Association of Business Economists. It is very important that we pack the congressional hearing room! If you cannot come, please urge your colleages to come. If you represent a non-DC organization contact your friends in Washington and urge them to attend. Also on Tuesday of next week some of our congressional supporters will be holding a noon press conference in the so-called House Triangle right outside the Cap
Read more

Overlooked and Undercounted: Struggling to Make Ends Meet in Pennsylvania

By -
Image
Census data tells us that 13% of Pennsylvania households live in poverty. In reality, even more households don’t have the income they need to reach self-sufficiency. One in four Pennsylvania households – over 846,000 – lack enough income to cover just the necessities. Since 1997, PathWays PA has worked with Dr. Diana Pearce and the University of Washington to calculate  The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Pennsylvania . Over the last 23 years,  The Self-Sufficiency Standard of Pennsylvania  has documented the continuing increase in the real cost of living, illuminating the economic crunch experienced by so many families today. Since 2010, PathWays PA and the University of Washington have also issued three versions of the  Overlooked and Undercounted  report, which looks at the number of households living above and below self-sufficiency. You can now use the interactive materials below to find out what it takes to be self-sufficient in your county. Click here  to read the 2020 O
Read more