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State agencies encourage early application for heating program

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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; More than 344,008 households statewide received $115,936,887 million in LIHEAP cash benefits during 2017-18 &#8212; an average benefit of $337.</p><p>Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) Chairman Gladys M. Brown, LIHEAP Advisory Committee Chairman Patrick Cicero, and representatives from local utility companies Wednesday announced the start of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) application process for 2018-19.</p><p>&#8220;Everyone deserves a safe, warm home that helps them stay healthy and comfortable throughout the winter,&#8221; Miller said. &#8220;LIHEAP helped make this possible for more than 340,000 Pennsylvanians last year. That number includes thousands of the commonwealth&#8217;s most vulnerable citizens &#8212; children, older Pennsylvanians, and individuals with a disability &#8212; helping them make ends meet as heating costs increase.&#8221;</p><p>LIHEAP provides assistance for home heating bills to keep low-income Pennsylvanians warm and safe during the winter months. Assistance is available for renters and homeowners. Crisis and regular LIHEAP applications begin Nov. 1, and end April 12. LIHEAP benefits are paid directly to the utility company.</p><p>&#8220;LIHEAP is an important tool for helping Pennsylvania families stay warm and safe during the winter, and the PUC has a long history of supporting this important service,&#8221; Brown said. &#8220;Now is the time for consumers to enroll in LIHEAP and to explore other assistance programs available from their utilities and various non-profit groups. Combined, these many different resources help hundreds of thousands of households and families across the Commonwealth every year.&#8221;</p><p>On Oct. 24, the LIHEAP Turn-On Program prevented 16,547 homes from having their utilities turned off. The Turn-On Program paid $4,732,471.58 to 19 utility companies in the commonwealth to prevent the shut offs. The individuals in the program are those who received LIHEAP during the 2016-17 season, and had a threat of a shut off or had their utilities shut off. The program&#8217;s goal is to prevent LIHEAP customers from entering the winter season with shut off utilities.</p><p>Eligibility for the 2018-19 LIHEAP season is set at 150 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines.</p><p>&#8220;I encourage everyone who may be eligible or who has loved ones or neighbors that could benefit from this program to apply, especially before the very cold winter months are upon us so they have the necessary resources to stay warm as the weather continues to be unpredictable,&#8221; Miller said.</p><p>Online applications for LIHEAP can be completed at www.compass.state.pa.us. Paper applications are available through local county assistance offices, or interested applicants can download and print an application from the department&#8217;s website.</p><p>For helpful tips on keeping warm throughout the winter while saving money on utility costs, visit www.energysavers.gov.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Miller </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_Secretary-Teresa-Miller.jpg</photo0><caption0>Miller </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>