HHS Increases Total LIHEAP Funding Available to Help Low-Income Families to $3.9 Billion

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently announced the availability of additional funding to help eligible low-income families meet their home energy needs, bringing the total made available since October 1 to $3.9 billion.  These funds will go to states, tribes and territories under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and are available under the terms of the latest continuing resolution. 

LIHEAP assists qualified families with their home energy needs such as heating in the winter, cooling their homes in the summer, and insulating their homes to make them more energy efficient and reduce their energy costs.

These block grant funds will supplement two previous releases of funds under continuing resolutions in Fiscal Year 2011.  A complete list of funds available to states today can be accessed at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/press/2011/liheap_allocation.html

Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance should contact their local/state LIHEAP agency.  For more information, please go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/ or http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/brochure/brochure.html   

Energy Program for San Diego Caregivers with Special Needs | The Caregiver's Corner

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If you are a San Diego caregiver of someone who depends on life support equipment or special environmental conditions, having energy in your home or residence is essential. To help San Diego caregivers and customers with special health needs, SDG&E offers medical baseline allowances that provide additional regulated utility charges at the baseline rate, which can help keep energy costs down.
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HHS Provides More Than $2.6 Billion to States to Help Low-Income Households with Energy Costs

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the release of more than $2.6 billion to states to help low income citizens with their heating bills during October, November and December of this year. These funds represent grants to states, tribes and territories under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

"By releasing this money now, we are helping to provide needed assistance to millions of Americans who otherwise might not be able to afford heat this winter," Secretary Sebelius said. "This program helps to offset seasonal energy costs for low income families, leaving more of their income to use for other necessities."

LIHEAP helps eligible families pay the costs of heating and insulating their homes in the winter, and cooling their homes in the summer. HHS is releasing such a large allocation of LIHEAP funds now in order to ensure that states have resources available to support their energy assistance programs as the weather turns colder.

"Each year LIHEAP helps more than five million low income households deal with energy costs," said Carmen Nazario, assistant secretary for children and families. "We will continue to work with states, tribes and territories to assure their heating assistance programs work effectively."

For a complete list of state allocations of the funds released today go to http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/press/2009/liheap_2010.html.

Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance should contact their local/state LIHEAP agency.

For more information, go to http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/ or http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/brochure/brochure.html.

Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons

(Updated) The purpose of this funding opportunity announcement is to solicit grant applications for the Weatherization Assistance Program for Low-Income Persons for Program Year 2009, and establish grant guidance and management information for the Weatherization Assistance Program as outlined in the Weatherization Program Notice (WPN) 09-1, Program Year 2009 Weatherization Grant Guidance, included as Attachment 1. This announcement also addresses the $250M supplemental funding being accessed by grantees in conjunction with their annual application.

HHS Provides $121 Million in Energy Assistance

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced the release of $121 million in energy assistance to help eligible low-income households meet home energy costs. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds are expected to provide states with heating assistance for the winter months ahead. Of the $121 million, $96 million will go to help individuals heat or cool their homes in all 50 states, territories, tribal areas and the District of Columbia. An additional $25 million under LIHEAP will assist the following states identified as having large numbers of eligible households that use oil to heat their homes: Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. “This assistance with home heating costs will help ensure the safety of those individuals most in need, including children, the elderly and the disabled,” said Daniel Schneider, acting assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families. The funds released today bring the total delivered under LIHEAP to approximately $2.59 billion this fiscal year. For a complete list of state allocations of the funds released today go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/press/2008/liheap_contingency_fund_release.html#primary. Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance should contact their local/state/ LIHEAP agency. For more information, go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap or http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/brochure.html.

State Aims to Help Families Struggling to Buy Food

New York Region State Aims to Help Families Struggling to Buy Food By KIRK SEMPLE Published: July 2, 2008 The state has found a way to significantly increase federal food assistance — by more than 50 percent in some cases — for about 114,000 impoverished households around the state. The increases are allowable under provisions in federal law that enable residents enrolled in the federal home-energy subsidy program to receive higher food stamp allocations. To benefit from the increases, 114,000 households, most of whom are in New York City public and Section 8 subsidized housing, will be enrolled in the energy subsidy program. The strategy is part of the state’s energy assistance plan, which is currently undergoing public comment and must be submitted to the federal Department of Health and Human Services by Sept. 1. State officials said they planned to begin the increase in food stamps on Oct. 1.