Press Release - Wednesday, October 09, 2002
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Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Now Underway
SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced that the John W. Maitland Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in Illinois is now underway for the upcoming winter season. Illinois households with disabled or elderly members, and those who are disconnected from their utilities, may now apply for heating assistance at locations throughout the state.
"Last winter we were able to serve over 285,000 households under the John W. Maitland Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program," Ryan said. "Natural gas prices are expected to increase this winter over last year's levels, and the weather is always an uncertainty. Eligible citizens are encouraged to start applying for these funds now."
Total funding for the LIHEAP program this winter is approximately $127 million, with $62 million from the federal Low Income Energy Assistance Block Grant and $65 million from the state's Supplemental Low Income Energy Assistance fund. LIHEAP funds are administered through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA).
"Because of Governor Ryan's continuing efforts, Illinois received an additional $8 million in federal LIHEAP funds at the end of the summer to help senior citizens, households with young children and those with medical conditions cope with high summer electric bills," said DCCA Director Pam McDonough. "Those extra dollars allowed the LIHEAP program to provide benefits to 47,000 such households. We are now gearing up for the coming winter with the goal of ensuring that every household has access to resources they will need to stay warm and safe."
The energy assistance program is geared to households with incomes up to 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. A family of one can have a monthly income of no more than $1,108, a two person household no more than $1,493 and a family of four an income no greater than $2,263. Benefits are provided directly to the household's gas or electric utility or delivered fuel dealer for households that heat with fuel oil or propane.
The months of September and October are set aside for households with elderly or disabled members and those disconnected from their utilities. All other households may begin submitting applications after November 1, 2002.
Benefits include repairs of inoperable residential heating systems, payments to utilities or fuel dealers on behalf of eligible households to help reduce energy bills, and emergency assistance to help disconnected households regain energy services. In limited instances where heat is included in rent, and rent is greater than 30 percent of a household's income, a small cash payment may be made directly to the household.
LIHEAP is operated throughout the state by a network of local agencies that work with utilities, determine eligibility and provide benefits to households. Anyone wishing to apply should contact the local agency in the county where they live. Additional assistance is available by calling the toll-free LIHEAP information line at 1-800-252-8643.
Local Agencies providing LIHEAP assistance:
BCMW Community Services, Inc.
Carver Community Action Agency
CEFS Economic Opportunity Corporation
Central Illinois Economic Development Corp.
Community and Economic Dev. Association of Cook County, Inc. (CEDA)
CEDA-Chicago Project
Community Contacts, Inc.
Decatur-Macon County Opportunities Corp.
DuPage County Dept. of Human Resources
East Central Illinois Community Action Agency, Inc.
Embarras River Basin Agency, Inc.
Fulton County Health Dept.
Illinois Valley Economic Development Corporation
Kankakee County Community Services, Inc.
Kendall-Grundy Community Action
Lake County Community Action Project
Madison County Community Development
McHenry County Housing Authority
MCS Community Services
Mid Central Community Action, Inc.
Northwestern Illinois Community Action Agency
Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity, Inc.
Project NOW, Inc.
Rockford Human Services Department
Sangamon County Department of Community Resources
Shawnee Development Council, Inc.
St. Clair County Community Action Agency
Tazwood Community Services, Inc
Tri-County Opportunities Council
Two Rivers Regional Council of Public Officials
Urban League of Champaign County
Volunteer Services, Inc./Crosswalk Community Action Agency
Wabash Area Development, Inc.
Western Egyptian Economic Opportunity Council
Western Illinois Regional Council
Will County Center for Community Concerns
909 E. Rexford Street in Centralia
618/594-4146
Counties Served: Bond, Clinton, Marion and Washington
235 E. Main Street in Galesburg
309/342-0158
County Served: Knox
1805 S. Banker Street in Effingham
217/342-2193
Counties Served: Christian, Clay, Effingham, Fayette, Montgomery, Moultrie and Shelby
1800 5th Street in Lincoln
217/935-2455
Counties Served: DeWitt, Logan, Mason, Menard and Piatt
208 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 850 in Chicago
312/207-5444 or 312/795-8844
Suburban Cook County (Outside City of Chicago)
208 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 850 in Chicago
312/207-5444 or 312/795-8844
City of Chicago
1035 E. State Street in Geneva
630/232-7600 (Kane)
815/758-3835 (DeKalb)
Counties Served: DeKalb and Kane
1122 E. Marietta Street in Decatur
217/428-0155
County Served: Macon
421 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton
630/682-7000
County Served: DuPage
56 N. Vermilion Street in Danville
800/764-2555
Counties Served: Ford, Iroquois and Vermilion
115 S. Kentucky Street in Greenup
217/923-3113
Counties Served: Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Jasper, Lawrence and Richland
700 East Oak Street in Canton
309/647-1134
County Served: Fulton
223 S. Macoupin in Gillespie
217/839-4431
Counties Served: Calhoun, Greene, Jersey and Macoupin
341 N. St. Joseph Avenue in Kankakee
815/933-7883
County Served: Kankakee
500A Countryside Center in Yorkville
630/553-9100 (Kendall)
630/553-9100 (Grundy)
Counties Served: Grundy and Kendall
102-106 S. Sheridan Road in Waukegan
847/249-4330
County Served: Lake
130 Hillsboro Avenue, Suite 102 in Edwardsville
618/692-6200
County Served: Madison
1108 N. Seminary in Woodstock
815/338-7752
County Served: McHenry
345 W. State Street in Jacksonville
217/243-9404
Counties Served: Cass, Morgan and Scott
923 E. Grove Street in Bloomington
309/829-0691 (McLean)
815/844-3201 (Livingston)
Counties Served: Livingston and McLean
103-109 N. Chicago Avenue in Freeport
800/883-1111
Counties Served: JoDaviess and Stephenson
711 W. McBean Street in Peoria
309/671-3900
County Served: Peoria
418 19th Street in Rock Island
309/852-4565
Counties Served: Henry, Mercer and Rock Island
612 N. Church in Rockford
815/987-5501
Counties Served: Boone and Winnebago
200 S. 9th Street, Room 311 in Springfield
217/535-3120
County Served: Sangamon
530 W. Washington in Karnak
618/634-2201
Counties Served: Alexander, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski and Union
19 Public Square, Suite 200 in Belleville
618/277-6790
27 N. Illinois Street in Belleville
618/257-9246
County Served: St. Clair
Field Shopping Center, 2005 S. Main Street in Morton
309/266-9941
Counties Served: Tazewell and Woodford
405 Emmons Avenue in Rock Falls
800/323-5434
Counties Served: Bureau, Carroll, LaSalle, Lee, Marshall, Ogle, Putnam, Stark and Whiteside
1891 Maine Street, Suite 4 in Quincy
217/224-8171
Counties Served: Adams, Brown, Pike and Schuyler
314 S. Neil Street in Champaign
217/356-1364
County Served: Champaign
410 W. Main Street in West Frankfort
618/937-3581
Counties Served: Franklin, Jefferson and Williamson
110 Latham Street in Enfield
618/445-2379
Counties Served: Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Saline, Wabash, Wayne and White
1 Industrial Park in Steeleville
618/939-8715
Counties Served: Jackson, Monroe, Perry and Randolph
223 S. Randolph Street in Macomb
309/837-2997
Counties Served: Hancock, Henderson, McDonough, and Warren
304 N. Scott Street in Joliet
815/722-0722
County Served: Will
***The Hearing impaired may access all numbers through the State TDD Relay: 800/526-0844.
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