LIHEAP helps with heating costs, including wood for wood heated homes.
The U.S. federal government runs the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helping low-income individuals and families with heating fuel costs. Many charitable organizations also help people in need with their winter heating costs. Whether you use oil, wood or natural gas for heating, there are grants available to assist with winter fuel costs. Does this Spark an idea?
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
There are state and federal energy assistance programs for winter heating.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services runs the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that provides grants to families for winter fuel and heating costs. This assistance may come through an agency paying a utility bill for the family or in the form of grants made directly to individuals to buy heating fuels like oil or wood. To qualify families must have one member receiving food stamps, Social Security income or other public benefits or meet other poverty criteria. To apply for LIHEAP contact your state LIHEAP grantee office listed on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' LIHEAP website.
Citizens Energy Oil Heat Program
The Citizens Energy Oil Heat Program provides heating oil grants to low income families.
The website for the Citizens Energy Oil Heat Program says it has "delivered millions of gallons of discount home heating oil to poor and elderly households in Massachusetts and other cold weather states since 1979." The states included in the program are Alaska, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Maine, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. They also work with many Native American tribal communities. The program provides a one-time delivery of 100 gallons of heating oil to those in need. Approximately 200,000 households have been helped by this program. You can find information online or by contacting them directly.
Citizens Energy Corporation
88 Black Falcon Avenue, Suite 342
Boston, Massachusetts 02210
617-338-6300
citizensenergy.com
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army runs a heating assistance program called Heat Aid.
The Salvation Army has a year-round heating assistance program called Heat Aid for the elderly or disabled. They also sponsor local winter heating assistance programs regionally. To qualify for the Heat Aid program, you must have received a turn-off notice for your current heating service and be 60 years of age or older or have a medical disability. The program is only available in certain areas. You can find the Salvation Army Heat Aid office closest to you on the Salvation Army website or you can call the hotline for more information. Local offices often have additional funding for energy assistance available as well.
Salvation Army Heat Aid Hotline
402-898-5966
salvationarmyusa.org
Charitable Organizations
Charitable organizations also offer winter heating fuel assistance.
Local Saint Vincent de Paul branches help individuals and families with winter heating costs as well. For their assistance, call your nearest Catholic church or the national headquarters for St. Vincent de Paul and ask for the chapter nearest your home. Each church runs its own chapter and individual chapters have their own criteria and qualifications.
The Catholic Community Services (CCS) runs offices in major cities across the U.S. to help low-income families with emergency bills. They are run by regional Archdiocese offices and must be contacted regionally.
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
58 Progress Parkway
St. Louis, Missouri 63043
314-576-3993
svdpusa.org
Tags: Salvation Army, winter heating, Citizens Energy, heating costs, Citizens Energy Heat, Energy Assistance Program
