Caller: Hi I live in Bristol, and I’ve gotten behind on my bills. I need help with my utility bill. I’m on disability. And I have three grandchildren in my home, and I can’t have the power getting cut off. Where can I find some help?
PATHFINDER: That’s a great question!
If you are eligible, and it sounds like you would be, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program – we call it LIHEAP – can help with your energy bill. For Bristol, Sullivan County, and seven other area counties, the program is administered by the Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency (UETHDA). Here’s their listing in Pathfinder:
https://www.tnpathfinder.org/view/provider/2678/upper-east-tennessee-human-development-agency
You’ll find more details and an online application at their website, https://uethda.org/neighbors/
Or you can apply at the service center closest to you.
To be eligible your income has to be under 150% of the federal poverty level, and they have a chart on their website making it simple to find out if your income qualifies, based on the number of persons in your home.
The same agency works with another energy-related program, called the Weatherization Assistance Program. You may want to also apply for that, but in some areas there is a wait of 3-5 years. Applications are being taken for Sullivan County, but not for every county UETHDA covers. Call (423) 246-6180 to find out if they are taking applications for your home county in Upper East Tennessee.
The agency uses a point system to determine when you might get the service. It takes into account factors like whether you are elderly or have disability, your income, “energy burden,” and if there are children in the home. Eligibility is similar to the LIHEAP program, and if you qualify for LIHEAP it is very likely you would also be eligible for weatherization.
Weatherization assistance will reduce heat loss and therefore reduce energy costs. A home which is approved will be evaluated by a state auditor who determines what will be done for a particular building. The project could include weather stripping, caulking, and adding insulation to attics, walls and floors.
LIHEAP is a federally funded grant program created by the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1981. Both LIHEAP and Weatherization are programs of the Tennessee Housing and Development Agency (THDA). They are administered in all 95 Tennessee counties by 19 local agencies. If you need energy assistance, Call Pathfinder and we will assist you in finding the local agency for your home county.
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