SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND)- As temperatures drop, utility bills will likely increase. For families who are struggling to make ends meet, programs like Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) are critical to keep costs low.
"A lot of families are receiving limited income and they're trying to make ends meet," said Tara Murray, Executive Director at the Empowerment Opportunity Center in Decatur. "Sometimes, we have to make choices between buying food, paying for our utilities, paying rent, or the other necessities of life."
David MacDonna, Executive Director of Sangamon County Community Resources, said all it takes for many families is one critical car repair or unexpected medical bill to make it hard to pay utility bills.
He says the program is supplemental. It is open to anyone making less than double the federal poverty limit. For a family of four, that would be an annual income of $76,884.
"Last year we assisted right around 6,000 homes in Sangamon County and we had quite a bit of funding," said MacDonna. "We've had a steady flow of applicants coming through the door. I think all of our appointments are booked from now to the end of the year."
While LIHEAP is partially funded by federal sources, MacDonna says right now, they are operating with enough state funding to get them through the next few months. They have not run out of funding in the last few years of the LIHEAP program, and don't believe they will this year.
To apply for LIHEAP, you'll need to locate the organization in charge of it in your county. That list is available at this link. To see the breakdown of income guidelines, you can click this link.
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