Community Action Helping Residents With Winter Crisis Program Through March 31
The Ohio Department of Development and Lancaster Fairfield County Community Action Agency will help income-eligible Ohioans stay warm during the cold winter months. The Home Energy Assistance Winter Crisis Program helps income-eligible Ohioans pay their heating bills and can assist with fuel tank placement, fuel tank testing, and furnace repair. The program runs from November 1, 2024 till March 31, 2025.
To apply for the program, clients are required to complete a phone appointment with Lancaster Fairfield Community Action Agency. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 740-777-9055 or online at https://app.capappointments.com/.
When applying for the program, applicants must provide the following documentation.
- Income verification for the last 30 days
- If self-employed, ledger showing last 12 months earnings and expenses, and most recently filed tax forms and schedules, or most recent IRS Account Transcript.
- If seasonally employed, the last 12 months of paystubs are needed or agency seasonal employment form.
- Social Security cards, birth certificates, or other proof of citizenship documents for all household members
- Social Security numbers for all members of household.
- Most recent gas and electric bills, propane/fuel oil invoice (even if assistance is not needed for both services).
- If disabled, proof of disability
- If zero income, need to know how you have been maintaining your household. (Food stamps, Metropolitan Housing, detailed letter of support if receiving monetary assistance from someone outside the household, etc.)
- HEAP application(can be obtained from the agency or at faircaa.org/heap)
Households can start their applications at https://development.ohio.gov/individual/energy-assistance/energy-assistance/, but must make an appointment for a phone interview.
Last year, more than 1,010 families in Fairfield County were assisted through the Home Energy Assistance Winter Crisis Program.
The Winter Crisis Program assists low-income households that have been disconnected (or have a pending disconnection notice for gas and/or electric), need to establish new service, need to pay to transfer service, have a PIPP default, have 25% (or less) of bulk fuel or wood supply remaining. This program can also help with furnace repair for homeowners that income qualify.
Eligible households can receive up to $175 if they are a customer of a regulated utility, or $750 if they are a customer of unregulated utilities such as electric cooperatives and municipalities. The assistance is applied directly to their electric and/or gas bill. Households can also receive assistance with a bulk fuel/wood/coal benefit if have less than 25% remaining. The maximum benefit for bulk fuels is $1200 and the maximum benefit for coal and wood is $650. Ohioans must have a gross income at or below 175% of the federal poverty guidelines to qualify for assistance. For a family of four the annual income must be at or below $52,500.00.
For more information about the features of the Winter 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 or call (800) 282-0880.
The Ohio Department of Development empowers communities to succeed by investing in Ohio’s people, places, and businesses. Learn more about our work at development.ohio.gov.
