Low-income utility assistance programs accepting applications

Frigid temperatures have chilled mid-Missouri early this year, leaving many people with high utility bills with months of cold weather remaining.

Local agencies help people in their area largely through money made available via the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, also known as LIHEAP. In Columbia, Central Missouri Community Action administers LIHEAP funds.

The application period opened Monday. Applications also opened Monday for North East Community Action’s utility assistance program, which serves counties including Montgomery, Randolph, Macon and Monroe.

This November was marked by frequent below-average temperatures and an earlier than average snowfall. Manager Jennifer Donaldson said Central Missouri Community Action sees thousands of people each winter needing help with electric bills.

“It is very eye opening how much poverty there is in our community and how many people go without either gas or electricity until our funding is available,” Donaldson said. The agency receives about 6,000 applications in a winter, she said.

One Columbia woman said she has four kids and without the help, she doesn’t know what she would do.

“There’s nothing I can do, I’d probably be sitting in the dark with my babies with candles, that’s it. That’s all I can do,” said the woman, who asked that ABC 17 News not use her name because of the stigma associated with getting assistance.

Donaldson said anyone can apply, but there are a few requirements.

“It is based on household size, household income and fuel source,” Donaldson said.

According to the LIHEAP website, applicants can make no more than 135 percent of the federal poverty level, which was set at $25,100 per year for a family of four in 2018. Applications are available by clicking on this link.

The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services has its own utility assistance program.

Human Services Manager Steve Hollis said the department’s funding is donation-based and has decreased over the last couple of years.

“I would say in real dollars we are receiving about a fourth of what we received 10 years ago,” Hollis said.

Hollis said they are still accepting applications and applicants stand a good chance of being granted assistance through the program.

An application is available at this link.

Columbia also has several daytime warming centers available. Click on this link to see Columbia’s warming locations.