LIHEAP summer utility assistance begins July 8

The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas are alerting residents that financial aid for electricity bills will be accessible soon.

From July 8, on a first-come, first-served basis, residential households may apply for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) via the network of community-based action agencies serving their county. For Howard, Sevier, and Little River Counties, the Central Arkansas Development Council (CADC) is the participating agency. The organization’s website is www.cadc.com.

LIHEAP, a federal block grant program, aims to reduce the energy expenses for low-income households, which spend a significant portion of their income on home energy, by providing benefits to cover home energy bills. The program supports households with heating costs in winter and cooling costs in summer.

Arkansas LIHEAP provides two types of benefit payments:

Regular: A one-time payment determined by household income and size.

Crisis: A one-time payment for those at risk of disconnection, with a past due balance, or with less than seven days of prepaid service.

In the 2023 summer program, 44,278 Arkansans received assistance, and 46,121 during the winter program, as reported by the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment (ADEE).

Of the $27 million allocated for this year’s program, ADEE reports that approximately half was used during the winter program.

Eligibility for LIHEAP assistance can be determined using the following chart: https://www.adeq.state.ar.us/energy/initiatives/pdfs/LIHEAP_Eligibility_Chart.pdf

Households can locate their community-based organization to apply for LIHEAP here: https://www.adeq.state.ar.us/energy/assistance/caad.aspx.

CADC is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4:30pm.