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Emergency Heating Assistance Available Through March 31st, 2020

12/2/2019

Community Action Council of Portage County is currently offering emergency assistance for utility bills through the Home Energy Assistance Program’s Winter Crisis Program (WCP).

The Winter Crisis Program assists low-income households that have been disconnected (or have a pending disconnection notice), need to establish new service, need to pay to transfer service, or have 25% (or less) of bulk fuel supply remaining stay warm this winter.

WCP requires a face to face interview during a walk-in, or appointment. You must bring all required documentation, as stated below, in order to have your application processed for a benefit. If you would like additional information, please contact Portage County Community Action Council at 330-297-1456. To make an appointment call 877-298-4307 or go to www.capappointments.com.

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), a non-emergency heating assistance program is also available to help with home energy bills. HEAP helps Ohioans at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines with a one-time credit on their heating bill.

Applied directly to the customer’s utility or bulk fuel bill, the benefit can help manage heating costs. This is not an emergency program. Customers who are threatened with disconnection, or have been disconnected from their utility service, may also be eligible for the HEAP Winter Crisis Program, which started on November 1, 2019.

Ohioans can visit www.energyhelp.ohio.gov to apply online, or download a copy of the application. You can also apply for this program at our office during an appointment or walk-in. When applying for all programs, individuals need to have copies of the following documents:

Most recent utility bills.
A list of all household members (including birth dates and Social Security numbers).
Proof of income for the past 30 days for all household members (12 months for certain income types).
Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for all household members.
Proof of disability (if applicable).

HEAP benefits are applied to an individual’s energy bill after January 1st.

Applications for both programs must be received by March 31, 2020. For more information on HEAP, visit energyhelp.ohio.gov or call (800) 282-0880. Hearing-impaired customers can dial 711 for assistance.

COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCIL OFFERS HOME HEATING ASSISTANCE Residents can get funding for fuel

10/21/2019

The Community Action Council of Portage County and Ohio Development Services Agency will help Ohioans stay warm during the cold winter months. The Home Energy Assistance Winter Crisis Program provides eligible Ohioans heating assistance. To qualify for the Winter Crisis Program, a household must be threatened with disconnection, have been disconnected or have less than a 25 percent supply of bulk fuel. The household must also have a gross income at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty level. For a family of four the annual income must be at or below $43,925. The program runs from November 1, 2019 until March 31, 2020, and you can make appointments beginning on October 21, 2019.
Individuals interested in receiving Winter Crisis assistance must have a face-to-face interview. Customers must bring the following items to their appointment:

30days of income for all adult household members(self-employed individuals are required to bring 12 months of income and tax return; seasonal workers need most recent 12 months of income)
copies of their most recent energy bills
list of all household members with Social Security numbers and birth dates
proof of U.S. citizenship/legal residency for all household members
proof of disability if disabled
Picture I.D.

It is important that you bring all of the necessary documentation with you when you arrive for an appointment, or come for a walk-in. If all necessary documentation is not provided, you will not be seen by an Intake Specialist. All households have their own unique circumstances, and you may be asked for additional documentation at the time of your face to face interview.

Any family or individual can call toll free 877-298-4307 or go online https://capappointments.com/CapAppointments.aspx to schedule an appointment. Appointments are scheduled up to 3 weeks in advance and must be made through the Agency’s 24 hour Interactive Voice Response scheduling system either by phone or online.
CAC also offers walk-ins at our Ravenna office on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 8:00 am, and will see the first 24 households that have all necessary documentation. We also have several walk-in satellite offices throughout Portage County. HEAP Satellite centers are located at The Kent Free Library (1115 Franklin Avenue in Kent); The Renaissance Family Center (9005 Wilverne Drive in Windham); Garrettsville Library ( 10482 South St. in Garrettsville); The Portage County Senior Center (705 Oakwood St. in Ravenna); and the Atwater Townhall (1219 State Route 183 in Atwater). For more information about satellite days and times, contact the agency at 330-297-1456 (press 0 for receptionist)

You May Qualify for a Credit to your Winter Heating Bill

10/10/2019

As we get ready for another heating season, Community Action Council of Portage County (CAC) wants to remind Portage County residents that we are accepting applications for the 2019-2020 Regular HEAP Program.

Regular HEAP is a federally funded program designed to help income eligible Ohioans with their winter heating bills by offering a one-time credit to the heating bill for eligible households.

Portage County residents can also apply for the Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP+) program year round. PIPP+ helps income eligible households manage their energy bills year round, by allowing them to pay bills based on a percentage of their income each month. Eligible households must have a total household income which is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, and apply for all available energy assistance programs.
Current PIPP+ customers are also reminded that re-verification is required every 12 months or whenever the household income changes.

For more information, CAC at 330-297-1456 and press 0 for the receptionist. To make an appointment, you can call our toll free appointment line at 877-298-4307, or you can make an appointment online at https://capappointments.com.

You can apply online for HEAP and PIPP at www.energyhelp.ohio.gov .

Percentage of Income Payment Plan Offered Year Round

9/3/2019

Households can continue to enroll in and re-verify for the Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP+) program year-round. Regular HEAP applications for the 2019-2020 heating season are also currently being processed.

CAC strongly encourages families to enroll on PIPP+ and take advantage of several other programs that can help reduce utility costs, such as Home Weatherization Program (HWAP), Electric Partnership Program (EPP), and others.

To Apply for HEAP and/or PIPP, you must make an appointment or come to a walk-in. Appointments are available by calling 877-298-4307. Walk-ins are on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings starting at 8, and the first 12 households are seen.
When you arrive for your appointment or walk-in, you will be screened to make sure all necessary documentation is with you. If you do not have all of the necessary documentation to complete the application process, you will be asked to return for another appointment/walk-in when you have everything you need.

Minimally, to be seen you will need gas/bulk fuel bill, electric bill; previous 30 days of income for all adult household members (filed tax return for self-employed and 12 months of income for seasonal employment), and proof of citizenship for ALL household members. For more details regarding necessary paperwork, you can call 330-297-1456 option 1, and speak to the receptionist.

You can also apply for HEAP and PIPP online at www.energyhelp.ohio.gov
For more information, you can call CAC at 330-297-1456 or stop in for an application at 1036 West Main Street, in Ravenna.

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Emergency Heating Assistance Available Through March 31st, 2020

COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCIL OFFERS HOME HEATING ASSISTANCE Residents can get funding for fuel

You May Qualify for a Credit to your Winter Heating Bill

Percentage of Income Payment Plan Offered Year Round

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