Heating Assistance Application Period for Elderly/Disabled Dec. 2

The application period for the 2024-2025 winter season of Georgia’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will begin on Dec. 2. The program helps Georgians – including both homeowners and renters – with the costs associated with heating their homes through direct payments to home energy suppliers.

LIHEAP is a federally-funded program, managed through the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS),  that helps low-income households with their home energy bills. This assistance can reduce the risk of health and safety problems such as illness, fire, or disconnection.

Funds are administered through local Community Action Agencies (CAAs) on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are expired. Stephens County’s CAA is Ninth District Opportunity, located on Queen Street in Toccoa. 

To qualify, a family’s income must be less than or equal to 60 percent of the median gross income for a Georgia family. For a household of one, the income threshold is $33,038, up from $29,713 last year. For a household of five, the income maximum is $73,700, up from $66,284 last year. Specific income guidelines for other household numbers can be obtained from the Stephens County NDO office. 

To be eligible, the household must be responsible for the home heating bill, and the income eligibility is based on the income of everyone living in the household. 

Brenda Dalin, Program Director at Ninth District Opportunity, Inc., explained that households in which every member is age 65 and older -OR- is medically homebound due to health reasons, may apply for assistance with their heating bills beginning on December 2 of this year. 

When applying for assistance, applicants will be asked to present verification of age for everyone in the home, verification of all household income received within the past 30 days, such as check stubs, public assistance checks, unemployment checks, etc. Applicants must also supply verification of Social Security numbers for every member of the household, verification of citizenship such a driver’s license, state ID or other accepted documentation of citizenship, and a copy of the most recent heating and electric bill for the household – applicants are requested to note this requirement – if heating is supplied through another source than electric, such as natural gas or propane, applicants must bring the heating bill, and the most recent electricity bill. 

Applicants are reminded to bring all required documents to the appointment with them, as NDO is no longer able to obtain the information for applicants. 

All eligible applicants are asked to contact Ninth District Opportunity, Inc.’s scheduling system on December 2, beginning at 8:30a.m, by telephone at 855-636-3108 or go online to ndo.appointment.works/ea. 

Phone lines and the website for scheduling will not be active until the opening date of the program and no appointments will be made by telephone or online until this time. 

No walk-ins will be seen. Appointments will be scheduled until all funds are exhausted. Additional information will be made available online at www.ndo.org.

Again, only households with individuals 65 years of age and older or medically homebound may apply beginning December 2. Applicants that do not meet the required criteria will be denied. 

The general public may apply on January 2, 2025 beginning at 8:30A.M.