LIHEAP Households Served (Estimate for FY 2006)
Heating: 360,000
Cooling: 55,000
LIHEAP Program Dates
Heating: November 1 – April 30 (
September 1 start for seniors, disabled and families with young children; October 1 for households with disconnects)
Crisis: September 1 - April 30
State/Local
Low-Income Rate Assistance and Energy Efficiency
Effective 1998, the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund (SLEAF) was authorized through electric utility restructuring legislation. The law directed gas and electric utilities to assess a monthly surcharge from customers and deposit it into a state fund, which the General Assembly appropriates yearly to the state Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, the LIHEAP and weatherization grantee. Annually, about 80 percent of the fund, $65 million, goes for low-income bill payment assistance, and 10 percent, about $7.6 million, supplements the state’s weatherization program. LIHEAP makes payments from the fund directly to utilities. SLEAF funds may be
used only for assistance to low-income customers of the utilities that assess
the surcharge.
City Of Chicago
Emergency Housing Assistance Program
Emergency repair grants are available to qualified low-income homeowners. This may include repair or replacement of heating units, emergency roof repairs and other energy saving conservation activities. Applications are taken at the City of Chicago Department of Housing, 33 North
LaSalle Street Chicago, IL 60602. You may also call 311 for more
information. http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/
Utility
Low-Income Rate Assistance
ComEd
Rate Relief Program
Summer Assistance Program: A one-time $30 credit for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program participants with household incomes up to 200 percent of the poverty level, or $40,000 for a family of four.
Residential Rate Relief Program: A one-time credit of up to $240 for customers who experienced a higher-than-average rate increase of 30 percent or more. This program is for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the poverty level, or $40,000 for a family of four.
Residential Hardship Fund: Variable grants of up to $1,000 to offset rate increases for people with special circumstances and hardships. Customers with household incomes up to 400 percent of the poverty level, or $80,000 for a family of four, may be eligible, if they identify a special hardship issue such as medical expenses, military service, seniors requiring in-home care or grandparents raising minor grandchildren, or a person in the home with a disability. Verification of hardship will be required.
Springfield City Water Light & Power
Senior Citizen Discount Rate
A 10% discount for customers 62 years of age or older with a total household income no greater than 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
217-789-2233 www.cwlp.com/customer%5Fservice/residential/senior.htm
Emergency Charitable Assistance
Please note these charitable funds are last resort emergency funds with limited resources and limited times of operation.
AmerenUE, AmerenCIPS, AmerenCILCO
Dollar More
Funds pay for a wide variety of home energy bills including electric, gas, oil and propane. All Dollar More contributions go to the needy through a network of human services agencies. www.ameren.com/community/adc_cm_DollarMore.asp
Atmos Energy
Sharing the Warmth
Customer donations combine with company donations to help people pay their gas bills. All donations go directly to local people in need that meet criteria established by each individual program's guidelines.
Bond, Clinton, Marion, Washington counties:
contact BCMW, 618-532-7388
Clay, Effingham, Fayette, Shelby counties contact:
C.E.F.S.,
217-342-2193 x143
Illinois Valley Economic Dev. Corp,
217-839-4431
Shawnee Development Council,
618-524-2941
Wabash Area Development Inc,
618-252-2680
ComEd
Power Up
Provides a one-time energy assistance grant of up to $400 to assist families with incomes between 150 to 200 percent of the federal poverty level who are not eligible for LIHEAP. The program also supports a separate Emergency Fund to assist households with incomes below 200 percent of the poverty level that may not be eligible for LIHEAP.
1-888-806-2273
www.exeloncorp.com/ComedCare_Main/ComedCare/learn/CustomerAssistance/
Illinois Power (AmerenIP)
Warm Neighbors
Provides bill payment assistance and weatherization for qualifying customers who generally do not qualify for federal or state heating assistance. The program begins on December 1 and ends May 31. To qualify, applicants must meet one of the following conditions: total household income at or below 200% of poverty level or demonstrate temporary personal or family crisis. Contact a local agency for assistance or email Ameren for more information. www.ameren.com/WarmNeighbors/ADC_WarmNeighborsHomePage.asp
Mid-American Energy Company
I CARE
I CARE assists those who are unemployed, living on fixed or low incomes or experiencing a family crisis by helping pay their heating bills or making their homes more energy efficient. To qualify, customers must also meet their state's LIHEAP guidelines.
1-888-427-5632 www.midamericanenergy.com/html/service9.asp
Nicor Gas
Sharing Program
Provides one-time annual grants to qualified residential customers. Administered by the Salvation Army, the Sharing Program is funded by direct contributions from Nicor Gas' customers and employees.
To receive a Sharing grant, you must meet income guidelines and apply in person at your local Salvation Army office. www.nicor.com/en_us/residential/financial_assistance/sharing.htm
Peoples Energy Corporation
Share the Warmth
This program provides up to $200 in assistance, per household, to eligible customers experiencing difficulties paying their gas heating bills. Peoples Energy matches contributions, up to $125,000 each year. The Salvation Army administers the program.
773-725-1100 www.peoplesgasdelivery.com/service/warmth.aspx
Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative
WORKS
Grants are available for individuals in need and for 501(c)3 organizations. The purpose of the program is to meet a critical need that is currently not being met by any other means. Grants are limited to $2,500 for individuals and funded by customer donations. The WORKS grant program is only available to eligible member-customers of Wayne-White Electric Cooperative in southern Illinois, therefore applications from outside their customer area will not be accepted and are not eligible for assistance through the WORKS program.
618-842-2196 www.waynewhitecoop.com/pages/WORKS
