Winter heating assistance money again available through state of Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio - As the temperatures begin to fall, the Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA) is offering people heating assistance this winter through the HEAP Winter Crisis Program.

The program assists those who qualify with winter heating costs starting Nov. 1 through March 31, 2013.
 
In a press release, Christiane Schmenk, director of ODSA, said, “With winter right around the corner, it is important that we provide Ohioans with assistance to maintain their heating source. The Winter Crisis Program is a valuable resource for Ohio’s most vulnerable residents and is an important part of our mission to support Ohio's communities.”
 
The HEAP Winter Crisis Program provides assistance once per heating season to eligible households that are threatened with disconnection, have been disconnected or have less than a
10-day supply of bulk fuel.
 
Qualifying for HEAP is dependent upon the size of the household and the total gross household income for either the past three or 12 months. Participants  must be at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.

Here are the 2012-13 guidelines:
 
Size of Household               Past Three Months’ Income                  Past 12 Months’ Income
1                                                         $5,585                                           $22,340
2                                                         $7,565                                           $30,260
3                                                         $9,545                                           $38,180
4                                                       $11,525                                           $46,100
5                                                       $13,505                                           $54,020
6                                                       $15,485                                           $61,940
7                                                       $17,465                                           $69,860
8                                                       $19,445                                           $77,780
 
Households with more than eight members should add $1,980 per member to the quarterly income or $7,920 to the annual income.

Individuals interested in receiving assistance must have a face-to-face interview at their local provider agency. More information is available by calling the toll-free hotline at (800) 282-0880, Monday through Friday for a referral to one of Ohio’s 56 local service providers. Hearing impaired customers may dial (800) 686-1557 for assistance. You can also find information at http://development.ohio.gov/is/is_heapwinter.htm.