Unless the funding situation from the federal and state budgets changes, officials say the availability of energy assistance funds this winter will be limited to the homebound and elderly.

North Georgia Community Action Inc. is a non-profit organization that serves a 10-county area and contracts with the state to administer services like the Energy Assistance program.

Sharon Dixson with the NGCA in LaFayette says that currently they do not have funds to open the program to general public applications on Dec. 1., which is the typical opening date.

Dixson said NGCA began accepting applications Nov. 1 for the homebound and elderly.

She said homebound households are defined as those in which every household member is confined to the home because of medical conditions or disabilities. Elderly household members are 65 or older.

Dianne Rowley, director of NGCA’s central office in Jasper, says funding for the general public may become available after the new year, but based on current allocation levels which are similar to the last two years, NGCA will likely not cover all the elderly and homebound applications right away.

NGCA did receive additional funds piecemeal last year, but Rowley says they are still obligated to first complete the elderly and homebound applications before taking them from the general public.

Rowley says that Georgia receives funding from the federal Low Income Household Energy Assistance program, or LIHEAP, but it is currently under budget considerations being debated in Congress.

---

Low-income residents of Walker County who feel their household meets the definition of “homebound” or “elderly” should contact North Georgia Community Action at (706) 638-0818.
To be eligible for energy assistance funds this winter, households must have a projected annual gross income equal to or less than:


$14,355 for a one-person household


$19,245 for a two-person household


$24,135 for a three-person household


$29,025 for a four-person household


For households with five or more persons, add $4,890 for each additional family member. The one-time payment will range from $174 to $220, depending on household income. In most circumstances, the checks are issued directly to the home energy supplier. Assistance is on a first-come, first-served basis while the funds last or until the state closes the program.

---

According to Rowley, the Georgia Public Service Commission matches LIHEAP funds for the state program, but puts restrictions on its funds that make it difficult to carry the program to the general public.

“We have been reminding the state that we need more funds, especially since the GPSC puts in state money for private natural gas marketer customers only — not municipal natural gas, not electric, not propane nor any other heat source,” she said. “And if those households are 65 or older, then the GPSC wants the money they put in to match with the LIHEAP money, so those households get double, which ties up LIHEAP money (for other customers.”

Rowley says she feels it’s likely that there will be an increase in applications due to assumptions from reports about higher energy costs this year, particularly for natural gas.

“But there’s recently been news that prices are not going up as expected,” she said. “But I don’t think that word has gotten spread as far afield.”

Dixson says if North Georgia Community Action in LaFayette eventually receives enough program funds needed to assist the general public, then they will announce it.

CLICK ON THESE LINKS

---

FEEDBACK: Send a

letter to the editor

SUBSCRIBE: Get the

Walker County Messenger each Wednesday and Friday

GO

BACK: Return to our homepage

---