Community Action Agencies Enrolling Kentuckians for LIHEAP Summer Cooling

FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 13, 2021): Community Action Agencies across Kentucky are accepting applications for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Summer Cooling Program. The program, which is open to qualifying households, offers two unique home energy assistance components to help offset electric costs. Households could apply and receive benefits up to the maximum allowable from both components.

Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis through October 31, 2021, or until designated funds are depleted. Income eligibility for the program is up to and including 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Benefits are paid directly to household’s electric vendor. Qualified residents should apply at their local Community Action Agencies. To locate your local office, please call 800-456-3452.

The Subsidy component helps households offset electric costs by providing a one-time benefit ranging from $100 to $400 depending on income levels and housing categories.

The Crisis component can assist households who are experiencing a home energy crisis situation, with the minimum needed to alleviate the crisis not to exceed $600. Households can reapply each time they experience a crisis situation until they have reached their maximum benefit. Applicants must provide at least one of the following: disconnect notice; an eviction notice for non-payment of rent (if electric costs are included as an undesignated portion of rent); demonstrate a late amount, overdue amount or that they are within 10 days of running out of pre-paid electric; or demonstrate that they would be disconnected or evicted if not for a moratorium due to a local, state or federal state of emergency.

For everyone’s safety, Community Action Agencies may provide special accommodations, adjust locations and times, and may ask that LIHEAP applicants follow safety protocols. Because these may change and vary between counties, applicants are encouraged to contact their local Community Action office for more information.

Kentucky’s Community Action Agencies administer LIHEAP in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a pass-through block grant from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. More information about LIHEAP, including contact information for county-specific office contact information, can be found at the Community Action Kentucky website at www.CAPKY.org.

###

About Community Action Kentucky

Community Action Kentucky is the statewide association representing and assisting all 23 Community Action agencies across Kentucky that work to empower individuals and families to attain greater economic stability and long-term success. With a presence in all 120 Kentucky counties, Community Action agencies provide life-changing resources and programs to support a wide array of service areas, including food security, transportation, home energy, early childhood education, senior support, emergency services, housing assistance, workforce development, youth enrichment and more. As a statewide voice for local agencies, Community Action Kentucky works to address policy issues that impact low-income individuals and cultivates broad-reaching partnerships that improve the lives of thousands of Kentuckians, making it possible for them to achieve their goals. For more information about Community Action Kentucky, visit www.CAPKY.org.