Congressman Johnson announces $83M to help GA households with home energy costs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) announced that Georgia was awarded $83 million in funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). It’s part of $3.7 billion being released nationwide to help lower heating costs for American families this winter.

Administered through the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Community Services at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the funding will help individuals and families with low incomes pay their home heating costs this winter, and with cooling bills in the summer. LIHEAP can also be used to weatherize homes to make them more energy efficient, and during disasters and extreme weather to mitigate energy emergencies.

Today’s funding release includes funds appropriated by Congress from the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024, as well as $100 million appropriated for FY 2024 from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“LIHEAP is crucial to protecting the safety and health of households across Georgia and Georgia’s Fourth District is no different,” said Congressman Johnson. “We receive many calls every year from constituents in need. The funding released today will help ensure that my constituents have the support they need to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer, particularly our senior citizens on fixed incomes.”

Maintaining safe indoor air temperatures is critical, particularly for households that include older adults, individuals with disabilities, and young children. By helping to reduce the costs of home heating and cooling bills, reconnecting energy services that have been disconnected, preventing energy shutoffs, and providing minor energy-related home repairs, LIHEAP helps make sure that our neighbors can meet their home energy needs and stay safe in their homes.

Individuals interested in applying for LIHEAP can visit energyhelp.us or call the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) hotline toll-free at: 1-866-674-6327.

Not sure whether you qualify? Households can easily identify if they may be eligible for assistance by using the LIHEAP Eligibility Tool on energyhelp.us.

In addition to releasing the funding, ACF’s Office of Community Services (OCS) has updated their LIHEAP heating season toolkit to help grant recipients and stakeholders effectively reach households in need of assistance. To access the toolkit’s outreach materials including flyers, social media templates, and animated videos, visit the OCS website.