A federal program could help Georgians with the cost of cooling their homes heading into hotter months.
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) assists elderly, disabled and low-income Georgia residents through direct payments to home energy suppliers for their cooling bills. A family’s income must be less than or equal to 60 percent of the median income for a Georgia family to qualify.
People over 65 or those that are medically homebound can apply now and applications open for other eligible residents on May 1. Those that think they would qualify can apply until July 31 or until funds run out.
Applicants will be asked to provide the following: most recent cooling bill/statement of heating service, Social Security numbers for household members, proof of citizenship, proof of income and verification of Social Security or unemployment benefits.
Local community action agencies (CAAs) will administer the funds on a first-come, first-served basis. The CAA for Clarke County and its surrounding counties is ACTION, Inc. More resources for ACTION Inc. can be found on https://actionathens.org. For more information on the program, contact DHS at 404-657-3426.
