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The Will County Center for Community Concerns (WCCCC), as administrator of the Home Energy Assistance Program, announced that funds are available to assist income-eligible households with their winter utility bills and furnace assistance.
The assistance will be available from Oct. 1, 2019, through May 31, 2020, or until funds are exhausted.
On Oct. 1, LIHEAP will be accepting applications for households that have a family member who is a senior (age 60 or older) and/or currently receiving disability benefits.
Starting Nov. 1, households whose service has been disconnected, or have a disconnection notice, and households with a child age 5 or younger also may apply.
Starting Dec. 2, the program will available to all other income-eligible households.
Households must be at or below 150% of the federal poverty level to receive a benefit from the LIHEAP Program.
There will be an option to accept a one-time payment to the utility provider, or to enroll in PIPP (Percentage of Income Payment Plan), which will consist of a monthly benefit you will receive as long as you make your monthly payment that will be determined at the time of intake.
PIPP applications are taken on a first-come, first-served basis each month from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, or until funding is exhausted.
A single-person household can qualify with a monthly income for up to $1,561; for a two-person household, up to $2,114; for a three-person household, up to $2,666; and a family of four, up to $3,219.
Benefits are paid directly to utilities on behalf of eligible households. The exception is households whose heating costs are included in their rent.
Applications will be taken at Will County Center for Community Concerns, 2455 Glenwood Ave, Joliet.
Hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays or until the daily sign-in sheet is full (whichever comes first).
For information, including documents needed to start the application process, call 815-722-0722 or visit wcccc.net.