LIHEAP Households Served (Estimate for FY 2011 Heating)
536,796
LIHEAP Program Dates
Heating: November 1 – March 30 (
September 1 start for seniors, disabled and families with young children)
Crisis: October 1 - May 31
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
Ameren
Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP)
Under PIPP, an eligible client pays a percentage of their income, receive a monthly benefit towards their utility bill, and receive a reduction in overdue payments for every on-time payment they make by the bill due date.
To enroll in the PIPP, contact your local LIHEAP administering agency.
Hardship Assistance for Residential Customers
The local community action agencies distribute these program funds based on the hardship experienced by customers with household incomes of up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. The agencies may award grants of up to $600 per household. Customers may call 1-877-411-9276 to obtain the name and address of their local community action agency.
Good Samaritan Initiative
Qualified participants can get their service restored by paying 20 percent or $250 of their remaining balance. To qualify, utility customers must have account balances too high to be covered by the state's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, but less than $3,000. The initiative is run by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Contact your local community action agency.
Warm Neighbors Cool Friends
Provides bill payment assistance for qualifying customers — the program is designed to help those who generally do not qualify for federal or state heating assistance. The program targets low- to moderate-income families and senior citizens at 150-200% of poverty. Eligible households can receive up to $700 a year to help pay for energy costs ($350 during the heating season and $350 during the cooling season.) To receive assistance, qualifying customers must first make a payment on their utility account; Warm Neighbors Cool Friends will then make a matching payment.
A statewide network of social service agencies and community organizations determine applicant eligibility. Find an agency near you or call 1-888-690-5700. http://warmneighborscoolfriends.com/
ComEd
Rate Relief Program
Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP)
Under PIPP, an eligible client pays a percentage of their income, receive a monthly benefit towards their utility bill, and receive a reduction in overdue payments for every on-time payment they make by the bill due date. To enroll in the PIPP, contact your local LIHEAP administering agency.
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. Program Dates: June 1 - Aug. 31. Apply at your local LIHEAP administering agency.
Fresh Start
LIHEAP-approved space-heating customers may qualify to participate in the Fresh Start Arrearage Reduction Program, which provides monthly credits of up to $150 a month for qualifying customers who begin and continue to pay their electric bills on time.
For more information: Call ComEd CARE at 888-806-2273
Residential Special Hardship Fund
Help is available for households with a financial hardship due to job loss, illness, military deployment, disability, or for senior households. Income-eligible, residential customers can apply once every 2 years for grants of up to $500 based on need and availability of program funds. This fund applies to residential customers with household incomes up to 250% of the federal poverty level who identify a hardship issue — including documented medical, military, senior, or disability hardships among others. Apply at you local community action agency. www.comed.com/customer-service/assistance-programs/Pages/residential-hardship.aspx
C.H.A.M.P (ComEd Helps Activated Military Personnel): Special services and benefits, including a one-time cash stipend, deferred billing, extended due dates, and late charges cancellation.
Eligibility: Military deployment and disabled veterans with 2 years or more of service
Dates: Year-round
To Apply: Applications available online. Call ComEd CARE at 888-806-CARE (2273) www.comed.com/customer-service/assistance-programs/Pages/champ.aspx
Nicor Gas
Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP)
Under PIPP, an eligible client pays a percentage of their income, receive a monthly benefit towards their utility bill, and receive a reduction in overdue payments for every on-time payment they make by the bill due date. To enroll in the PIPP, contact your local LIHEAP administering agency.
Good Samaritan Initiative
Qualified participants can get their service restored by paying 20 percent or $250 of their remaining balance. To qualify, utility customers must have account balances too high to be covered by the state's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, but less than $3,000. The initiative is run by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Apply at your local LIHEAP administering agency.
Northshore Gas
Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP)
Under PIPP, an eligible client pays a percentage of their income, receive a monthly benefit towards their utility bill, and receive a reduction in overdue payments for every on-time payment they make by the bill due date. To enroll in the PIPP, contact your local LIHEAP administering agency.
Good Samaritan Initiative
Qualified participants can get their service restored by paying 20 percent or $250 of their remaining balance. To qualify, utility customers must have account balances too high to be covered by the state's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, but less than $3,000. The initiative is run by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Apply at your local LIHEAP administering agency.
Peoples Gas
Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP)
Under PIPP, an eligible client pays a percentage of their income, receive a monthly benefit towards their utility bill, and receive a reduction in overdue payments for every on-time payment they make by the bill due date. To enroll in the PIPP, contact your local LIHEAP administering agency.
Good Samaritan Initiative
Qualified participants can get their service restored by paying 20 percent or $250 of their remaining balance. To qualify, utility customers must have account balances too high to be covered by the state's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, but less than $3,000. The initiative is run by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Apply at your local LIHEAP administering agency.
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 275% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. For a printed application and more information view the website listed below.
217-789-2233 www.cwlp.com/customer_service/your_account/senior_citizen_rate.htm
Low-Income Energy Efficiency
Ameren
Warm Neighbors Cool Friends
Provides bill weatherization assistance for qualifying customers — the program is designed to help those who generally do not qualify for federal or state heating assistance. The program targets low- to moderate-income families and senior citizens at 200-300% of poverty. The home weatherization program typically
includes basic energy-efficiency measures, such as insulation, air
sealing, caulking and weather-stripping. These measures vary depending
on local community initiatives. A statewide network of social service agencies and community organizations determine applicant eligibility. Find an agency near you or call 1-888-690-5700. http://warmneighborscoolfriends.com/
Emergency Charitable Assistance
Please note these charitable funds are last resort emergency funds with limited resources and limited times of operation.
Ameren
Dollar More
Funds pay for a wide variety of home energy bills including electric, gas, oil and propane. All Dollar More contributions go to those who need help through a network of human services agencies. Find an agency for assistance at apps.ameren.com/apps/dollarmore/Dollarmoreagencies.aspx
800-755-5000
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
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 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
Northshore Gas
Share the Warmth
Administered for North Shore Gas by the Community and Economic Development
Association of Cook County (CEDA), Share the Warmth provides heating grants to
limited and fixed-income households. Eligible customers who make a payment
toward their bills receive matching grants of up to $200. To apply for assistance call the Community and Economic Development Association (CEDA) at 800-571-2332 or visit one of the CEDA locations. www.northshoregasdelivery.com/home/share_warmth.aspx
Peoples Energy Corporation
Share the Warmth
Administered for Peoples Gas by the Community and Economic Development
Association of Cook County (CEDA), Share the Warmth provides heating grants to
limited and fixed-income households. Eligible customers who make a payment
toward their bills receive matching grants of up to $200. Call CEDA at
800-571-2332 or visit one of the CEDA locations. www.peoplesgasdelivery.com/home/share_warmth.aspx
Springfield City Water Light and Power
RELIEF
To qualify, a customer must have a delinquent CWLP bill, be able to pay a portion of it, have a total household income for the previous 90 days of no more than 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines and have exhausted all other resources, including the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The program starts on or around December 1 of each year and runs through May or until funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.
To apply, call 789-2414 www.cwlp.com/customer_service/your_account/bill_assistance.htm
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
