LIHEAP Crisis Program Running Out of Funds in Northern Kentucky

Click here for a link to a WCPO-TV report on the 2007-08 energy assistance program, and how Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission helped one family manage their high energy bills.

Kentucky’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which is designed to help low income households pay their heating bills, is rapidly running out of funds as the weather begins to get much colder.

Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission (NKCAC) has been administering the “Crisis” portion of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that assists households in a heating crisis.  The deepening of cold winter weather combined with rising utility and bulk fuel costs leaves many households unable to fully meet heating bills or purchase sufficient bulk fuel to keep their families safe and warm.

Community Action agencies cross Kentucky has received only about two-thirds of the funding that was available in the past two years. Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission ran out of funds after being open only a week. A second allocation should last through the first week of February. In precious years, NKCAC has been able to provide benefits through March, which gets families through the worst of the winter bills. “This is a strong indicator of economic hardship which will only get worse in colder weather” said Jennifer Belisle, Community Services Director for NKCAC.

In November and December of 2007 residents of eight (8) Northern Kentucky counties received $480,000.00 of financial assistance and emergency services from the LIHEAP subsidy component. Those funds served 4440 families which were 500 more families than NKCAC served in 2006. “With fuel prices being higher, the increased needs of our clients and the budget shortfall we are concerned about the increased burden on the elderly, disabled and families with children who are trying to make ends meet” said Ms. Belisle.

HEATING COSTS RISING

* Source:  Energy Information Administration

Here are some ways you can donate to keep a family or elderly person warm right here in Northern Kentucky.

1. Contribute directly on Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission’s website
   
   
2. Make a contribution to the WinterCare Fund by contributing when you pay your utility bill.
3. Or mail donations to: WinterCare Program; P.O. Box 931; Covington, KY 41012

                All donations are tax-deductible

For more than 40 years, Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission has provided help to low income families by offering emergency assistance and support with housing, early childhood education, energy assistance, homeless case management and healthy relationship education. This support helps families gain skills to become self sufficient and economically independent. The Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission operates in eight (8) counties in Kentucky. For more information on the LIHEAP program please contact Jennifer Belisle – NKCAC’s Community Services Director 859-581-6607 x2933

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