The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has announced that Crosswalk Community Action Agency, headquartered in West Frankfort, will be administering the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for Franklin, Jefferson and Williamson counties.
The program, which provides financial assistance to eligible households to help pay a portion of their winter heating bills, will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
Eligibility is based on gross income for the 30 days prior to the date of application and is $1,354 for a one-person household, $1,821 for two-person households, $2,289 for three-person households and $2,756 for four-person households.
The first two months of the program (September and October) are set aside as a priority period for the income eligible elderly age 60 and over and the disabled who are drawing disability income.
The first step in receiving energy assistance is to visit the outreach site in your county and make an appointment so an application can be made at a later date. Appointments will start being distributed on Sept. 1 at 8:30 a.m.
If it is not possible to be at the outreach site on Sept. 1, there will still be appointments available and those eligible can still go to the location in their county from 8:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. and receive an appointment. This will make the line shorter and should provide faster service.
On Monday, Nov. 2, all other households meeting the income guidelines will be eligible to participate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Also, any eligible household that is disconnected from their utility or who is at or below 25 percent on a delivered fuel and can not get a delivery on their own, may qualify for emergency-reconnection assistance. Emergency-reconnection applications will start Oct. 1.
For more information, call Crosswalk’s main office at 937-3581 and speak to someone in the LIHEAP department.
Do not call the Illinois Department of Employment Security offices.
Outreach locations include the east entrance or food pantry entrance of Crosswalk Community Action Agency at 410 W. Main St. in West Frankfort. Jefferson County residents should visit the Illinois Department of Employment Security at 333 Potomac Blvd., Suite E, in Mt. Vernon.
Williamson County residents should visit the Illinois Department of Employment Security at 8195 Express Drive in Marion.
Benton, Ill. —
