Georgia Department of Human Resources, with whom North Georgia Community Action Inc. contracts, has announced that a cooling program will officially open a Aug. 3 with the beginning of the homebound/elderly application intake period.

North Georgia Community Action Inc. serves Catoosa, Walker and eight other northwest Georgia counties.

Homebound households are defined as those households in which every household member is confined to the home because of medical conditions or disabilities. Elderly households are defined as those households in which every member is aged 65 years or older. If anyone in the household is under age 18 and all the other household members are 65 or older that household will meet the definition of elderly.

All households participating in the program must meet the income criteria; be responsible for paying the cost of energy for home cooling directly to the supplier; and be U.S. citizens or aliens admitted to the U.S. for lawful, permanent residence.

To apply, applicants must bring their most recent electric bill, proof of household income, proof of valid Social Security number, and proof of citizenship or alien status. In addition, elderly households must provide proof of age for all household members.

Assistance will be in the form of a one-time payment on behalf of the eligible household to help offset the cost of cooling their home. The checks are issued directly to the home energy supplier. No checks can be issued until North Georgia Community Action Inc. receives the funds from the Georgia Department of Human Resources. Assistance is on a “first-come, first-serve” basis, while the very limited amount of funds last.