Columbia Gas reminds its customers that in addition to cash grants, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) also offers crisis grants to assist income-eligible households without heat or in danger of being without heat.
Crisis grants range from $25 to $1,000, and income-eligible customers may receive crisis funding for emergencies situations such as a broken furnace that needs to be fixed or replaced, or a potential service termination.
“Crisis grants are especially helpful to households facing unanticipated heating emergencies, and because they are one-time grants, customers don’t have to worry about repaying them,” said Deb Davis, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania manager, Universal Services. “LIHEAP can help give our at-risk customers peace of mind that they can stay safe and warm during cold weather, so we encourage them to take advantage of this benefit and apply for assistance.”
LIHEAP, a federally funded program administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, also provides cash grants ranging from $300 to $1,000 based on household size, income and fuel type to assist in paying winter heating bills.
The income eligibility limit for the 2023-2024 program is 150 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines. This means that an individual with an annual income of up to $21,870 is eligible to apply. A family of four can earn an annual income of up to $45,000. Households can apply for grants until April 5, 2024. Last heating season, nearly 20,000 Columbia Gas customers received LIHEAP grants to help with their energy costs.
Customers can apply for LIHEAP assistance online through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Service website (COMPASS) at www.compass.state.pa.us or can request an application by calling the statewide LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095.
In addition to LIHEAP, Columbia Gas offers customers assistance programs that offer flexible payment options, budget plans and income-eligible financial support. Customer can visit the Columbia Gas Energy Assistance Resource Center to access energy assistance fact sheets and an eligibility calculator to determine what programs that may best meet their financial situation.
