Question; Someone told me they get HEAP. What is that? Am I eligible? How do I apply? What does it pay?

Answer: HEAP is Home Energy Assistance Program.

This is a program for lower income individuals and families. The program provides help with high energy costs. The benefit is a one-time payment to your heating utility company. The HEAP season runs from November to usually late March. This year HEAP will close this Friday. We are very close to the deadline, so I am encouraging you to do this right away.

To receive this benefit, you must complete an application and that can be done a couple of ways. You can apply online at www.mybenefits.ny.gov website.

You can get that application from the local county Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS). You apply using the application that they send to you. Some seniors may remember applying for this benefit through Office For the Aging, but the application process has changed. You now apply at DHHS.

The criteria for being eligible includes an income limit, which is currently $2,244 per month for an individual and $2,935 per month for a couple. If you have more than two in your family, the income limit continues to go up per person. I have found many working families and seniors are eligible for this benefit, so it is definitely worth looking into. A family of four can make up to $4,316 per month and still be eligible for HEAP.

If you feel your income is close to or just above the monthly income limit, it is still worth looking into.

The amount of HEAP benefit you could receive is between $21 and $625 depending on the type of heat/utility you have and your income levels. Remember that this one-time payment is usually made directly to your utility provider. This can really help stretch your energy dollars in a heating season.

As I mentioned before, you can apply for the HEAP benefit a couple of ways; the first is a HEAP paper application. You can get this application from the local Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) office by walking in and asking for an application or calling and requesting an application be mailed to you 661-8087 or 753-4385 or download a HEAP application from www.mybenefits.ny.gov.

Once downloaded and printed you would mail your completed application to the local DHHS office.

A faster and relatively easy way to apply is to use the website at www.mybenefits.ny.gov to complete the entire application on-line. This on-line version is submitted automatically to the local DHHS office and then their staff contacts you with questions or clarification issues. For those that are comfortable using a computer, or have someone they trust who is good with a computer these newer options can be very useful. I remind you to use someone you trust because you are giving them a lot of very personal information. These websites are safe and secure, but the information you are giving the person helping you is usually information we recommend not giving out to anyone.

Remember that time is getting short and the HEAP season could be drawing to a close, so if you think you are eligible, please apply right away.

Hoping that soon we are seeing less snow and more green.

To contact Janell Sluga, GCMC with questions or concerns, please call 720-9797 or email her at janells@lutheran-jamestown.org.