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Agency readies for help with heat bills
December 12, 2011 6:49 PM
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For details about the Winter Crisis Program, call 419-227-2586 Monday through Friday.
For details about the Winter Crisis Program, call 419-227-2586 Monday through Friday.
LIMA — As temperatures drop, the number of people seeking help with their heating bill is going up.
Lima Allen Council on Community Affairs is seeing that and preparing for a busy winter season, said Marva Cowan, centralized intake director for LACCA.
“We're anticipating a greater number of folks, based solely on the state of the economy,” Cowan said. “We expect to see people we haven't seen before, first-time customers.”
The agency is about to hire an additional staff member to handle the increased traffic, Cowan said. LACCA has been providing energy assistance with gas, electric, wood, coal and propane since Nov. 1. In Allen County, residents with incomes within 200 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for help. The federal poverty guideline for 2011 for a family of four is $22,350.
Prior to the beginning of the heating season, LACCA knew Allen County had between 1,500 and 1,800 people with their gas completely shut off. People with a utility shut off are helped with LACCA's walk-in service, Cowan said.
LACCA opens its doors for walk-in clients each day at 7 a.m. but many people begin to line up at the agency much earlier in the morning. People without service shut off, but who do have disconnect notices, should not stand in that line, Cowan said, but call the agency and make an appointment. Once an appointment is made, the agency obtains an extension for the customer with the utility.
Cowan also has other advice for people seeking heat assistance, who also use a program that allows customers to pay a percentage of their utility bills, known as PIPP Plus. Take care of registration in the program at another time than dealing with other utility assistance. PIPP also rewards customers for making their designated reduced payments on time, Cowan said, reducing past-due owed amounts. Two-years' worth of on-time PIPP payments wipes out a past-due balance.
While the winter crisis program currently has adequate funding, Cowan worries it could be on a Washington chopping block list. The funding flows through the U.S. Department of Energy, which is on hit lists for different reasons with both Democrats and Republicans.
You can comment on this story at www.limaohio.com.
Lima Allen Council on Community Affairs is seeing that and preparing for a busy winter season, said Marva Cowan, centralized intake director for LACCA.
“We're anticipating a greater number of folks, based solely on the state of the economy,” Cowan said. “We expect to see people we haven't seen before, first-time customers.”
The agency is about to hire an additional staff member to handle the increased traffic, Cowan said. LACCA has been providing energy assistance with gas, electric, wood, coal and propane since Nov. 1. In Allen County, residents with incomes within 200 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for help. The federal poverty guideline for 2011 for a family of four is $22,350.
Prior to the beginning of the heating season, LACCA knew Allen County had between 1,500 and 1,800 people with their gas completely shut off. People with a utility shut off are helped with LACCA's walk-in service, Cowan said.
LACCA opens its doors for walk-in clients each day at 7 a.m. but many people begin to line up at the agency much earlier in the morning. People without service shut off, but who do have disconnect notices, should not stand in that line, Cowan said, but call the agency and make an appointment. Once an appointment is made, the agency obtains an extension for the customer with the utility.
Cowan also has other advice for people seeking heat assistance, who also use a program that allows customers to pay a percentage of their utility bills, known as PIPP Plus. Take care of registration in the program at another time than dealing with other utility assistance. PIPP also rewards customers for making their designated reduced payments on time, Cowan said, reducing past-due owed amounts. Two-years' worth of on-time PIPP payments wipes out a past-due balance.
While the winter crisis program currently has adequate funding, Cowan worries it could be on a Washington chopping block list. The funding flows through the U.S. Department of Energy, which is on hit lists for different reasons with both Democrats and Republicans.
You can comment on this story at www.limaohio.com.
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If you have any questions about what's acceptable, please refer to our user agreement. Thanks.
