Helping Ohioans beat the heat

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The Community Action Organization of Delaware, Madison and Union Counties (now serving Champaign, Logan and Shelby Counties) and Ohio Development Services Agency help income-eligible Ohioans stay cool during the hot summer months. Through the Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program, eligible Ohioans can receive assistance paying an electric bill or assistance paying for central air conditioning repairs. The program runs from July 1-Aug. 31.

“July and August can be extremely hot in Ohio and that can take its toll on older Ohioans and Ohioans with breathing conditions. Together with Community Action … we want to reduce risk of heat-related illnesses in our communities,” said David Goodman, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency.

In 2014, a total of 1,174 households in Delaware, Madison, Union, Champaign, Logan and Shelby counties were assisted through the Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program.

The crisis program helps low-income households with an elderly member (60 years or older) and households that can provide physician documentation that cooling assistance is needed for a household member’s health. This can include lung disease; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; or asthma, which affects more than 850,000 Ohioans, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Eligible households can receive up to $250 if customers of a regulated utility or $300 if customers of unregulated utilities such as electric cooperatives and municipal utilities, in assistance applied to a utility bill or applied to central air conditioning repair costs. Ohioans must have a gross income at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines to qualify for assistance. For a family of four the annual income must be at or below $42,437.50.

Ohioans enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus Program (PIPP Plus) are not eligible for bill payment assistance through the program but are encouraged to work with Community Action to identify other opportunities for assistance.

For more information, contact Community Action at 800-858-4452. Additional information is at www.energyhelp.ohio.gov and at 800-282-0880.

Summer Cisis Program begins

Submitted Story

Submitted by the Community Action Organization of Delaware, Madison and Union Counties (now serving Champaign, Logan and Shelby Counties).

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