Bell-Whitley CAA, Inc. will begin operating the “crisis” portion of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) on Jan. 7. The program is operated on a first come, first serve basis until federal funds are exhausted. LIHEAP assists households that are in a home heating crisis. The deepening of cold winter weather combined with rising utility costs leaves many households unable to fully meet heating bills or purchase sufficient bulk fuel to keep their families safe and warm. Your local Community Action Partnership (CAP) stands ready to help!

Last year over 1,200 residents of Bell County received financial assistance and emergency services from the LIHEAP Crisis component.

A household shall be considered to be in a home heating crisis situation when the household meets the basic LIHEAP eligibility criteria and:

• The household is within four (4) days of running out of fuel if bulk fuel (coal, fuel oil, propane, kerosene, or wood) is the heat source;

• The household has received a past due/disconnect notice if natural gas or electric is the heat source; or

• The household’s home heating costs are included as an undesignated portion of the rent, and the household has received an eviction notice for non-payment of rent from the landlord.

Pre-Paid Electric customers are eligible to receive LIHEAP assistance if they certify that they have 10 days or less of pre-paid electric remaining.

For all bulk fuels (wood, coal, propane, fuel oil, kerosene) verification of a crisis situation may be self-declaration by the applicant. For natural gas and electric heated households, the applicant must present an appropriate disconnect notice from the utility company.

Applications will be taken at convenient CAP locations in each county. Applicants are encouraged to apply at the location nearest to them in their county of residence. The Pinevill office, located at 129 Pine Street, is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

LIHEAP is a statewide initiative sponsored by Community Action Kentucky in partnership with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS).