The Community Action Council of Portage County wants to remind Portage County residents that assistance is available to help with their home energy bills. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps households that are at or below 175% of the federal poverty guidelines pay their heating bills. Portage County residents that are threatened with disconnection, have been disconnected from their utility service, have less than 25% of bulk fuel in their tank, need to establish service, enrolled on PIPP, or have PIPP default may be eligible for the Winter Crisis Program. WCP started on November 1 and goes through March 31, 2024.
CAC of Portage County also has water bill assistance. The Low-Income Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) helps households that are at or below 175% of the federal poverty guidelines pay their water bills. Portage County residents that have an amount owed, or need to establish water service may be eligible for this program. To make an appointment call 234-703-4303 or go online to https://app.capappointments.com . We also have some same day appointments available Monday through Thursday mornings starting at 8Am. For those call-in appointments, customers should call 330-297-1456 ext. 0 starting at 8 am. The call-in appointments fill up very quickly and are usually full by 8:30. You MUST make an appointment in order for a Winter Crisis or Water assistance application to be processed. . ALL APPOINTMENTS, AND CALL-INS WILL BE CONDUCTED VIA PHONE INTERVIEW. You are required to be available via the phone number provided and have the required documents available so you are able to answer the intake specialists questions at the date and time of your appointment. The Intake Specialist will work with you to decide what is the best method for providing your documents. Documents most commonly needed are: •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) For more information on HEAP, LIHWAP, or other programs offered by Community Action Council of Portage County, visit energyhelp.ohio.gov or contact us at : Community Action Council of Portage County 1036 West Main St * PO BOX 917 * Ravenna, Ohio 44266 Phone: 330-297-1456 HEAP is Option 1 Appointment line: 234-703-4303 Fax: 330-297-1463 The Winter Crisis Program (WCP) helps income eligible Ohioans that are threatened with disconnection, have been disconnected, need to establish new service, need to pay to transfer service, have PIPP default, need to pay first PIPP, or have 25% (or less) supply of bulk fuel in their tank, maintain their utility service.
The Low-Income Water Assistance Program, a component of the Home Energy Assistance Program, provides assistance to eligible households that have a balance owed on their account, and have not yet used the program. To qualify, a household must have a gross household income at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty level. Households interested in receiving emergency utility assistance must have a phone appointment and provide all required documentation. Applicants will need to provide utility bills, proof of income, proof of citizenship, and proof of disability if applicable. Other documentation may be required based on each household’s individual circumstances. Applications will only be considered complete when all required documentation has been provided. Portage County residents can call toll free 234-703-4303 or go online https://app.capappointments.com 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 of Portage County also offers call-in appointments at our Ravenna office Monday through Thursday starting at 8:00 am until all of the available appointments are full. The phone number for call-ins is 330-297-1456 ext 0. The Winter Crisis Program (WCP) helps income eligible Ohioans that are threatened with disconnection, have been disconnected, need to establish new service, need to pay to transfer service, have PIPP default, need to pay first PIPP, or have 25% (or less) supply of bulk fuel in their tank, maintain their utility service.
The program runs until March 31, 2024. Ohio households serviced by a Public Utilities Commission of Ohio-regulated utility must sign up for the Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP) or another payment plan if there is still an outstanding balance on the bill after receiving assistance. The Low Income Water Assistance Program, a component of the Home Energy Assistance Program, provides assistance to eligible households that have a balance owed on their water account. To qualify, a household must have a gross household income at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty level. Households interested in receiving emergency utility assistance must have a phone appointment, and provide all required documentation. Applicants will need to provide utility bills, proof of income, proof of citizenship, and proof of disability if applicable. Other documentation may be required based on each household’s individual circumstances. Portage County residents can call toll free 234-703-4303 or go online https://app.capappointments.com 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 of Portage County also offers call-in appointments at our Ravenna office Monday through Thursday starting at 8:00 am through 10:00 am or until all the appointments are full. If you call during this time and appointments are still available, you will receive a same-day appointment. The phone number for call-ins is 330-297-1456 ext 0. ALL APPOINTMENTS AND CALL-INS WILL BE CONDUCTED VIA PHONE INTERVIEW. You are required to be available via the phone number provided, and have the required documents available so you are able to answer the intake specialists questions at the date and time of your appointment. The Intake Specialist will work with you to decide what is the best method for providing your documents. Applications will only be considered complete when all required documentation has been provided. The Ohio Department of Development and Community Action Council of Portage County want to ensure Ohioans stay warm and comfortable this winter by helping alleviate the burden of costly energy bills.
From Nov. 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024, income-eligible Ohioans can receive one-time assistance with their home energy bill through the Department of Development’s Home Energy Assistance Winter Crisis Program. The Winter Crisis Program assists Ohioans facing service disconnection, have been disconnected, need to establish new service, need to pay to transfer service, have a Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) default, need to make their first PIPP payment, or have 25 percent or less supply of bulk fuel in their tank to maintain service. Qualifying households must have a gross annual income of at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that is up to $52,500. Last year, the Winter Crisis Program assisted more than 67,000 households in Ohio, providing a total of $19 million in benefits. “A warm and comfortable home should not be a luxury only some people can afford,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Department of Development. “This program does more than just provide financial assistance; it shows some of our most-vulnerable residents that we’re here to lend a helping hand when they need it most.” Households serviced by a Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO)-regulated utility must sign up for PIPP or another payment plan if there is still an outstanding balance on the utility bill after receiving assistance. Ohioans can start their application online but will need to schedule an appointment with their local energy assistance provider to complete the application. All appointments are on the phone. The HEAP/PIPP application and list of providers can be found online at energyhelp.ohio.gov. HEAP benefits are applied to an individual’s energy bill after Jan 1. Ohioans can also call 800-282-0880 to find their local provider. Hearing impaired customers may dial 711 for assistance. To make an appointment for the Winter Crisis Program, residents can call our 24 hour appointment line at 234-703-4303. We also have minimal same day appointments for residents that have had their services turned off, are in danger of being turned off, or have less than 25% bulk fuel. To make a same day appointment, please call at 8am Monday through Thursday(except Holidays). We will make same day call-in appointments until they are all booked. Clients need to provide copies of the following documents:
Applications for the HEAP Winter Crisis program must be received by March 31, 2024. The last day to apply for the regular HEAP benefit is May 31, 2024. For more information on the programs, visit energyhelp.ohio.gov or call us at 330-297-1456 HEAP is option 1. |
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