LIEAP, Energy Share assistance available

Winter is fast approaching Wyoming, and with it often come below-zero temperatures and heavy snowfalls. For some on fixed incomes, this provides a dangerous situation in which expensive heating bills can take food off the table. Luckily, there are two groups that can help residents afford to keep the lights on this winter.

Energy Share of Wyoming, a non-profit organization that helps low and fixed-income households pay winter heating bills, is now accepting applications.

Energy Share Wyoming focuses on helping with energy related emergencies and is available to residents who have exhausted all other possible sources of funding to pay energy bills. Residents can register for a one-time payment of $400 to go towards energy bills.

First priority for funding goes to individuals and families at or above 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. All funding decisions are made by the Salvation Army, which reviews application and assesses eligibility.

Energy Share of Wyoming states that its 2015-2016 goals are raising over $100,000 and assisting more than 350 families statewide. Last year, the organization raised more than $67,000 in private and corporate donations, and helped 246 Wyoming families.

Energy assistance can also be received through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP), a state and federally-funded program to help pay heating bills from November to June.

LIEAP funding helps cover the cost of electricity, natural gas, propane, wood, diesel heating oil, coal and pellets for heating Wyoming residents’ homes.

Applications for Energy Share and LIEAP funding can be filed from now until February 26, 2016. Applications can be picked up at the Department of Family Services in Thermopolis.

If you are currently experiencing an emergency, such as a broken window or lack of skirting for a trailer, please call Brenda Ilg, the area’s Low Income Energy Assistance Program representative in Worland. She can be reached at 347-6181.

The Department of Family Services in Thermopolis can be reached at 864-2158.

More information can be found at http://dfsweb.wyo.gov/economic-assistance/lieap and http://www.energyshareofwyoming.org/