State program benefits lower incomes
New York State is accepting applications for the federally funded Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), which provides up to $996 in assistance to caregivers and lower-income households.
Individuals caring for family members who are younger than 6 or older than 60, or permanently disabled, may be eligible. Benefits are also available to lower-income homeowners and renters, e.g., a family of four with a maximum annual gross income of $76,681. The state also offers emergency benefits for families at risk of running out of heating fuel or having their utility service shut off. See ny.gov/heat. Older adults needing assistance with HEAP can call 800-342-9871.
Last winter, more than 1.8 million people in New York received HEAP benefits, including 111,000 in the Hudson Valley. The program also provides funding to fix or replace unsafe or broken heating systems.
