WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, U.S. Senator Jack Reed announced Rhode Island will receive an extra $2,501,975 through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for local home energy aid with their energy bills.
Reed led a bipartisan effort to secure the funding, signed into law in March as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The new funding brings Rhode Island’s annual appropriation for LIHEAP up to $25,045,363. It comes on top of $30.8 million in federal LIHEAP funds for Rhode Island that Reed helped deliver through the American Rescue Plan Act (P.L. 117-2), Reed’s office stated in the announcement.
“The pandemic and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine contributed to spiking energy prices, which is especially tough on seniors on fixed incomes and families with limited means. LIHEAP helps our most vulnerable neighbors afford their energy bills. I will continue working to bring down energy costs and deliver aid for those who need it. America must work to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and keep more of our domestic oil here at home while building toward a cleaner, more secure, resilient energy future,” said Reed.
LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps low-income households with their home energy bills by providing payment and energy crisis assistance to pay for gas, electric, and other methods customers use to heat their homes. LIHEAP is administered by states and accessed through local Community Action Agencies. Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources, according to Reed’s office.
More than 26,000 Rhode Island households benefitted from LIHEAP last year, with the average annual LIHEAP benefit covering about $550 in winter home heating costs for Rhode Islanders.
Rhode Islanders wishing to apply for LIHEAP may click here to reach the Rhode Island Department of Human Services website to get more information and links to an online application.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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