Columbia Gas reminds its customers that, in addition to cash grants, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) offers crisis grants to assist income-eligible households without heat or in danger of being without heat.
Crisis grants start at $25, and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) recently increased the maximum crisis grant amount from $1,000 to $2,000. Customers may receive more than one crisis grant, as necessary, during the heating season, until they have reached the maximum crisis grant benefit. Income-eligible customers may receive crisis funding:
- To restore gas service
- To help repair or replace a furnace or a gas line
- To prevent service termination
LIHEAP, a federally funded program administered by the DHS, provides cash grants ranging from $300 to $1,000 to assist in paying winter heating bills, with additional benefits available through the LIHEAP crisis program.
“LIHEAP is a vital program to ensure that our at-risk customers can stay connected during cold weather, and crisis grants are especially helpful to households facing unanticipated heating emergencies,” said Deb Davis, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania manager, Universal Services. “Because they are one-time grants, customers don’t have to worry about repaying them, and with the maximum crisis grant amount increasing, now is a great time to apply for assistance.”
The income eligibility limit for the 2022-2023 program is 150 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines. This means that an individual with an annual income of up to $20,385 is eligible to apply. A family of four can earn an annual income of up to $41,625. Households can apply for grants until April 28, 2023. Last heating season, more than 20,000 Columbia Gas customers received LIHEAP grants to help with their energy costs.
Customers are encouraged to apply online through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Service website (COMPASS) at www.compass.state.pa.us.
In addition to LIHEAP, Columbia Gas offers other 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 may best meet their financial situation.
