While more Pennsylvania families are seeking federal money this year to help pay their winter heating bills, thousands of others who would qualify never apply because they think the grants are only for those in dire need.
The bottom line: People whose household incomes fall under the limits -- and the threshold is much higher this year -- are eligible for Low Income Home Energy Assistance money, say social services, government and utility representatives.
"The biggest challenge for LIHEAP right now is getting people who feel they would never qualify to apply," Josh Wertheim, utility specialist with the Millvale office of North Hills Community Outreach, said.
"There's always been a stigma in Pittsburgh about asking for help," he said. "But this is not a handout -- everyone needs help right now."
Nationwide, $5.1 billion in home heating aid is available this winter, up from $2.6 billion last year.
Pennsylvania's share this year is $275 million, and the key difference is that families can earn up to 210 percent above federal poverty guideline numbers and still receive money. That's up from 150 percent last year.
To put those numbers into perspective, a household with four people can earn up to $44,443 this winter, up from $30,975 a year ago.
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania spokesman George Stark said about 300,000 individuals and families statewide got LIHEAP money last winter, but a million were eligible. This year, about 1.4 million would qualify, he said.
As of last weekend, 373,000 people had applied for LIHEAP cash grants to help cover their heating bills, an increase of 87,000 from the same time a year ago, said Stacey Witalec, spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Welfare, which administers LIHEAP in Pennsylvania. The minimum cash grant is $300, up from $100 last year.
Allegheny County's Department of Human Services, meanwhile, processed 4,131 crisis grant applications in November for homeowners who need to repair a furnace or are in immediate danger of losing utility service, for example. That's up 44 percent from November of last year. Crisis grants can run as high as $800.
"We have been going nonstop since Nov. 3" when LIHEAP opened, said Lynda Black, LIHEAP team coordinator for the county. "We are seeing a whole lot of new people that we have never seen before, entering into the system." Witalec said statewide, crisis applications are down slightly.
Wertheim, meanwhile, said he helped about 60 people apply for the federal grants last month at his Millvale office, up from about 16 in November 2007. Families are seeking help this year because of job losses, higher mortgage payments and other bills that are "getting out of control," he said.
Families mistakenly think they can skip a utility bill for a month, "and then they freak out when the get the termination notice," he said, adding that with the current economy, "I deal with a lot of people who are under a great deal of stress."
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