OUR COMMUNITY LOCAL FOCUS HIGHLIGHTS AREA NEWS, EVENTS
The Ohio Development Services Agency and Miami Valley Community Action Partnership will help income-eligible Ohioans stay cool during the hot summer months. The Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program provides eligible Ohioans assistance paying an electric bill or assistance paying for central air conditioning repairs. The program runs through Aug. 31.
To apply for the program, customers are required to schedule an appointment with Miami Valley Community Action Partnership. Appointments can be scheduled for all counties—Darke, Preble, Greene, and Montgomery— by calling the appointment line at 937-514-4777 or by going online to miamivalleycap.org.
Appointments are released every evening at 4:30 p.m., with an additional 500 appointments released each Friday at 4:30 p.m.
The Greene County office located at 469 Dayton Avenue in Xenia is currently closed for remodeling.
All Greene County clients with readily available transportation are encouraged to call the appointment line to make an appointment at the Dayton location (719 South Main St.).
If you are unable to make it to the Dayton office, please call 937-341-5000, extension 157, so we can schedule an alternate Greene County location to conduct the appointment.
Customers need to bring copies of the following documents to their appointment:
■ copies of their most recent energy bills
■ a list of all household members and proof of income for the last 30 days or 12 months for each member
■ proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for all household members
■ proof of disability (if applicable)
■ physician documentation that cooling assistance is needed for a household member’s health (if there isn’t a household member over the age of 60).
Last year more than 423 families in four counties were assisted through the Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program. Households were either provided a one-time monetary benefit (up to $300) or a window A/C unit, permitting Miami Valley CAP to spend out over $63,0000 to help beat the summer heat.
The Summer Crisis Program assists low-income households with an older household member (60 years or older), or households that can provide physician documentation that cooling assistance is needed for a household member’s health. Conditions can include lung disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or asthma.
Ohioans enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus Program (PIPP Plus) are not eligible for bill payment assistance through the program but are encouraged to work with Miami Valley CAP to identify other opportunities for assistance.
For more information about the features of the Summer Crisis Program, contact Keelie Gustin, Director of Energy Assistance Programs, at 937-341-5000, ext. 157 or at keelie@mvcap.com. For more information about energy assistance programs call (800) 282-0880, Monday through Friday (hearing impaired customers may dial 711 for assistance) and for a list of energy assistance providers select option 2, or visit www. energyhelp.ohio.gov.