With temperatures and utility costs rising, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services wants people to know that help is available for those who meet the income criteria.
Karma Stockwell, Program Manager for the DHHS’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, says last year the department helped over 41,000 households through their various heating and cooling assistance programs.
She says the cooling portion runs from June 1st through August 31st, and that in addition to help paying utility bills, eligible Nebraskans can obtain free fans from community action agencies across the state.
"To be eligible for that program you have to be 70 years or older, have a medical need, or have children aged 5 and under and receiving ADC. And if they already have a current application on file, they do not have to send in a new application; if they are already receiving assistance, we can just use their application for that program. Another kind of important thing is, if you are eligible from one year, you do not have to reapply for it – if you got a payment last year, you will more than likely get one this year, so it is not something you have to apply for every year or actually think about it.”
Stockwell says the LIHEAP program also includes funds to help with utility payments in a crisis situation and for weatherization.
For more information, as well as a list of the local agencies administering the fan program, the website is http://dhhs.ne.gov/Documents/FanDistributionSites.pdf