As the chill of winter tightens its grip, the Ohio Department of Development, alongside the Cuyahoga County Division of Senior and Adult Services (DSAS), is spreading the word on available aid for heating bills. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is designed to support Ohio residents who are at or below 175% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (for families of up to eight members) and those at 60% of the State Median Income (for families with nine members or more).
The financial boost from HEAP is applied directly to the customer’s utility or bulk fuel bill, helping to mitigate the cold weather’s bite on household budgets. For older Ohioans needing assistance with documentation or filling out their HEAP applications, the local Area Agency on Aging office is standing by, ready to lend a hand, according to the recent announcement on Cuyahoga County’s website.
Those seeking to take advantage of HEAP should prepare to submit copies of recent utility bills, a list of all household members (with birth dates and Social Security numbers), and proof of income for the last 30 days (or 12 months for certain types of income). In addition, applicants must provide proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for all household members and, if applicable, proof of disability…