New Opportunities Dallas County is reminding residents that they are still accepting applications for heating assistance and the need is growing. 

Development Center Coordinator Beth Morman says  Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is federally-funded and is designed to assist low income families meet the cost of home heating by providing a one-time payment to the applicant’s heating utility company but applicants must meet the total household income requirement of 200-percent below the federal poverty guidelines. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio that with the demand they have a four week delay before they can process LIHEAP applications.

“We encourage everybody to kind of move fast on it. I guess you could say we want them to not wait. I mean, if we get an application in the mail , if we receive it in the mail on April 28th, then we will still process it. If we get applications on April 30th we will still be accepting those applications also, as long as their mail date stamp says the 29th or 30th of April.”

Mormon says they have plenty of ways to sign up for LIHEAP including at their website, grab an application at their new opportunities office, apply by mailing in an application, set up an appointment by calling their office and they will also have mobile units making stops in Dallas County. She adds to become eligible for the program all residents in the household must have proof of income, Social Security cards for everyone in the household, and an electric and gas billing statement. The deadline for applications is April 30th.