2026 Summer Crisis Program Begins July 1
Summer Crisis Program Begins July 1
More than 55,000 Ohio households served in 2025
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and Lancaster Fairfield Community Action are once again offering assistance to help Ohio’s families stay cool during the hot summer months.
From July 1 through Sept. 30, income-eligible Ohioans can receive assistance in paying their electric bill, purchasing an air conditioner or fan, or making repairs to their central air conditioning unit through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Service’s Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program (HEAP).
The Summer Crisis Program assists low-income households or those that have a disconnection notice, have been shut off, are trying to establish new service on their electric bill, those with a household member age 60 or older, and/or a household member with a documented medical condition that requires air conditioning. Qualifying medical conditions can include lung disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, asthma, and others.
Ohioans enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP) program who meet the above criteria may also be eligible for assistance, or central air conditioning repairs, or may receive an air conditioning unit and/or fan.
To qualify for assistance, Ohioans must have a gross income at or below 175 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for a family of up to seven members, and 60 percent of the State Median Income for a family of eight or more members. For a family of four, the annual income must be at or below $57,750.
Last year, the Summer Crisis Program assisted more than 55,000 households in Ohio, providing a total of $12.4 million in benefits.
To apply for the program, clients are required to schedule an appointment with Lancaster Fairfield Community Action Agency. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 740-777-9055. Documents can be uploaded to the appointment scheduling system with a link through the confirmation text received
Clients can also bring the following documents to the agency prior to their appointment:
- Most recent energy bills.
- A list of all household members and proof of income for the last 30 days or 12 months (for self-employment or seasonal employment), for each member.
- Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for all household members.
- Proof of disability (if applicable).
- Physician documentation that cooling assistance is needed for a household member’s health (if there isn’t a household member over the age of 60, or there is not a disconnect notice for the electric).
- If zero income, additional documentation will be required. (tax return, letters of support, SNAP, housing assistance, etc)
Clients can apply online at energyhelp.ohio.gov. To get started, Ohioans must register for an OHID account, which provides a secure and convenient way to access their HEAP account.
Registration takes less than 7 minutes, and can be completed in these easy steps:
- Visit energyhelp.ohio.gov, and click “Log into the EA portal.”
- Click “Create an OHID,” and follow the six-step account creation process.
- Ensure account security by setting up multi-factor authentication.
- Client can upload their documents to their application online.
For more information about the Summer Crisis Program, and what is needed to apply, contact Lancaster Fairfield Community Action at 740-653-4146. To be connected to your local Energy Assistance Provider visit www.energyhelp.ohio.gov.
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For Immediate Release: August 3, 2026
For more information, contact:
Lancaster Fairfield Community Action
1743 E. Main St., Lancaster, Ohio
PH-740-653-4146
Fax-740-653-1273
