Friday, Oct 26, 2018
The Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, Inc. will start accepting applications for fuel assistance beginning Nov. 1.
Funding is available to help pay a portion of winter heating bills for income-eligible households in Lawrence, Methuen, Andover, North Andover, Reading and North Reading.
Residents are encouraged to apply even if they work, live in subsidized housing, or if utilities are covered through rent. Households who have been impacted by the gas outage and are without gas heat are still encouraged to apply for fuel assistance.
“We don’t want families going without heat as the weather starts to get cooler,’’ said Evelyn Friedman, executive director of GLCAC, which administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program locally. “Resources are available for individuals and families to get help and stay warm this winter.’’
In 2017, 8,162 households received fuel assistance through GLCAC to defray home heating costs.
Eligibility is based on household size and the gross annual income of every household member, 18 years of age or older. Household income cannot exceed 60 percent of estimated state median income.
For example, the income limit for a family of two is $46,437; a family of four, $68,289 and a family of six, $90,191.
Applications will be accepted from Nov. 1 through April 30, 2019.
New applicants must apply in person at GLCAC’s LIHEAP office. Appointments can be made now by calling (978) 681-4950 or by using the online scheduling system at www.glcac.org under the LIHEAP program. Home visits are available to homebound handicapped and elderly new applicants.
Previous LIHEAP applicants will receive an application and instructions in the mail; no appointment is necessary.
GLCAC is a multi-faceted social services agency that assisted 32,648 individuals in 2017 through a range of programs including early childhood education, fuel assistance, WIC nutrition assistance, immigration services, lead poisoning prevention, child abuse prevention, English-language lessons, and consumer protection.