HHS increases total LIHEAP funding available to help low-income families to $3.9 billion

Georgia's allocation will be $86,178,083.

Today U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the availability of additional funding to help eligible low-income families meet their home energy needs, bringing the total made available since October 1 to $3.9 billion. These funds will go to states, tribes and territories under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and are available under the terms of the latest continuing resolution.

"Much of the country has already experienced a very cold winter," said Secretary Sebelius. "Today's additional funds will help struggling families keep safe and warm for the remainder of the season."

LIHEAP assists qualified families with their home energy needs such as heating in the winter, cooling their homes in the summer, and insulating their homes to make them more energy efficient and reduce their energy costs. By doing so, families are less likely to have to choose between paying their energy bills and other necessities, such as food or medicine. Energy assistance can reduce illness or the risk of fires that can break out when households turn to using candles or space heaters because they cannot pay their electricity or gas bill.

The block grant funds released today supplement two previous releases of funds under continuing resolutions in Fiscal Year 2011.

"As temperatures drop, heating costs can pose a serious challenge for struggling families," said David A. Hansell, HHS acting assistant secretary for children and families. "At the start of a new year, these additional LIHEAP funds will help ease the financial burdens for many families."

A complete list of funds available to states today is below:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/press/2011/liheap_allocation.html

Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance should contact their local/state LIHEAP agency. For more information, go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/ or http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/brochure/brochure.html.

-----
Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP

Vice President Biden Announces Release of Nearly $100 Million in Recovery Act Funding to Support Senior Nutrition Programs

Vice President Joe Biden announced today that the Department of Health and Human Services will award $100 million in Recovery Act funding to provide meals to tens of thousands of low-income older Americans in need. The funding is expected to provide nearly 14 million meals
nationwide.

"Across the country, older Americans depend on senior centers and home delivery programs for regular, healthy meals. Today, more senior citizens are in need, but the programs they depend on are on the brink of reducing their services or closing down," said Vice President Biden. "The Recovery Act will help ensure older Americans are not forced to choose between paying bills and buying food."

The Recovery Act provides $65 million for congregate nutrition services provided at senior centers and other community sites, $32 million for home delivered nutrition services delivered to frail elders at home and $3 million for Native American nutrition programs. The funding will be awarded to 56 states and territories and 246 tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. States will award the funds to organizations that provide nutrition services in their communities. Funding for nutrition programs for seniors in the Older Americans Act was initially authored and championed by Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

The Recovery Act funding comes as budget constraints have forced states and tribes to limit community-based services and critical Older Americans Act related services, including home-delivered meals. Across the country, organizations that serve senior citizens have scaled back services and limited the number of meals served per week.

The economic downturn has also made it difficult for many seniors to afford the right foods to keep themselves healthy and active. Additionally, many seniors may be too impaired to prepare nutritious meals for themselves. Without regular nutritious meals, the health of many older Americans declines; they become more susceptible to illness; their ability to manage their chronic diseases is reduced, and they may lose their ability to remain at home, independent in their community.

-----
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page

H.E.A.T. Provides $1.02 Million to Help Georgians Pay Heating Bills

The Heating Energy Assistance Team (H.E.A.T.), Inc., an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization that provides energy assistance statewide to low-income Georgians, announced today that it has provided $1,020,649 to the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) to assist qualified families who are unable to pay their heating bills.

“Georgia’s low-income families live on extremely tight budgets; they often are forced to choose between buying food or medicine or heating their homes,” said H.E.A.T. Board Chairman Chris Strippelhoff. “This donation will help reach the Georgia households in most need of emergency energy assistance this winter.”

One Georgian’s story

Until January 2008, Woodstock resident Patrick Hlavaty was a full-time musician, playing and teaching piano and guitar. But a sudden diabetic seizure caused him to fall, leaving him unable to walk normally and no longer able to use his left hand to play musical instruments. He was forced to retire without enough resources to make ends meet.

At the time of the seizure, “Mr. Pat,” as he likes to be called, was the sole bread winner for his family. His wife was not able to work after having hip replacement surgery. Their only income was a small teacher’s pension and a limited amount of Social Security.

“I’ve been an independent person all my life,” Hlavaty said. “I’ve always worked. But that one day forced me to depend on other people and organizations. It bothered the heck out of me.”

Concerned about mounting energy bills, Hlavaty applied for energy assistance and received much-needed help to pay his heating bills. “I want to thank all contributors to H.E.A.T.,” he says, “because without caring people like them, anyone in my situation would not know where to turn.” Hopeful that surgery will help correct his condition, Hlavaty looks forward to playing music again in the future. “I want to be back at work and be self-sufficient again,” he says.

Qualified families can get energy assistance

H.E.A.T. funds are distributed by DHR through local community action agencies. Qualified families apply for assistance at the agency that serves their county. Households must meet established guidelines that include income eligibility. During the past 25 years, H.E.A.T. has distributed nearly $17 million to approximately 82,000 families.

The recent H.E.A.T. donation will be an important addition to federal funds available for energy assistance. “We appreciate this donation so much, “said Mark Washington, assistant DHR commissioner, Division of Family and Children Services, “because we never have enough funds available to help the tremendous number of families in need. H.E.A.T. is an important part of addressing this problem.”

Private citizens and natural gas companies made the financial contributions to H.E.A.T. that resulted in the $1.02 million distribution. Georgia Natural Gas, SCANA Energy, AGL Resources, Gas South, MXenergy, Stream Energy, Infinite Energy, and Blossman Gas all participated. In addition, some of the funds were provided to H.E.A.T. by the Georgia Public Service Commission.

-----
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page