EASTON, Pa. – Northampton County’s emergency fuel assistance program for seniors, which launches officially on Nov 1, has begun to accept applications.
The program provides a once-per-winter $780 grant, paid directly to the energy company, for county residents over 60 who are at risk of losing heating.
For homes heated with oil or propane, being at risk means having less than a quarter tank of fuel left. Natural gas or electric heating customers need to have a cut-off notice from their utility to be eligible for funds from the county.
Residents must also have applied to the state’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and either used up their assistance or have been rejected.
- $780 grants are available for Northampton County seniors ages 60+ struggling to pay for heating
- Eligible residents can apply by calling (610) 559-3270 or (610) 829-4800
- Qualified applicants need either less than a quarter tank of heating fuel left or a cutoff notice from their utility. They must have applied to LIHEAP and have been rejected or used up their funds
Help with heating
“Our goal is to keep folks living safely in their homes,” said Laurie Greco, the director of Northampton County’s Area Agency on Aging. “That's always our goal, to provide services that allow folks to live independently in the community, in their homes. We feel strongly that this will help to ensure that happens.”
Once a senior calls either of the county’s two phone numbers for help, a staff member from the Area Agency on Aging will collect their information, check eligibility, and pass everything along to a care manager.
From there, the assigned care manager will get in touch and set up a time to visit the caller’s home, where they will confirm eligibility and see if the applicant could benefit from any of the other services the agency provides.
“Our goal is to keep folks living safely in their homes.”Laurie Greco, director of Northampton County’s Area Agency on Aging
If the visit goes well, the Area Agency on Aging will contact ProJeCt of Easton, its contractor for the program. They will reach out to the resident’s fuel oil provider or utility company to schedule a delivery of $780 worth of fuel or apply the money to their energy bill.
Two-day turnaround
Greco said the department aims to complete an application within 48 hours from the first phone call to sending out money.
“It happens quickly because if someone gets that low on their fuel oil, we certainly don't want them to run out,” she said. “We absolutely try to make those a priority.”
Greco also expects that more seniors may need to access the program this year due to rising prices.
Most people who seek help from the program heat their homes with oil, she said. The average gallon of heating oil costs $5.80 last week, which is the highest price since the federal government started keeping track in 1990.
