ORLANDO, Fla. — Help is available for select Central Florida seniors who need assistance paying their energy bills.
The Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP), which is 100% federally funded through a grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, helps qualifying seniors to pay energy bills in an emergency.
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The program allows seniors to apply for up to $5,000 of energy bill assistance. Applications will be accepted until Sept. 30.
“The summer months provide a particular challenge to seniors because hotter temperatures mean higher than usual energy bills,” said Karla Radka, president and CEO of Senior Resource Alliance. “With the additional burden of inflation, it is more important than ever that seniors know there is help available if they need it.”
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Here are the eligibility requirements for Central Florida seniors:
- Applicants must be age 60 or older and reside in a home located in Orange, Seminole, Osceola or Brevard counties.
- Proof of residence, such as a driver’s license or other identification. (The energy bill does not need to be in the elder’s name.)
- Applicant must be experiencing a home energy crisis, such as disconnection, delinquency or past due bills.
- Applicants are “categorically eligible” if they can provide proof of TANF, SSI or SNAP benefits, such as an award letter, in addition to documentation of total household income.
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Officials said the funds can also be used to buy necessities, such as portable fans and window air conditioners, or to cover costs of repairs to an existing heating/cooling unit, deposits to connect or restore energy, as well as late fees and disconnect/reconnect fees.
Those interested in applying can contact the Osceola Council on Aging at 407-846-8532; Meals on Wheels, Etc., at 407-333-8877; or Brevard Alzheimer’s Foundation at 321-253-4430. Click here for more information about SRA and its services.
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