The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program crisis component is now available to assist west Kentucky households in home heating crisis situations.
Kentucky Community Action Agencies are accepting applications for emergency assistance on a first-come, first-serve basis for aid in paying heating costs through March 31, or until funds have run out. Agencies began accepting applications Monday.
West Kentucky Allied Services serves the eight Purchase counties with the main office located in Mayfield at 328 E. Broadway St. The office can be reached at 270-247-4047 or 1-800-294-2731.
The WKAS office for each county can be found at:
• Ballard: 325 Broadway, LaCenter, 270-665-5238.
• Calloway: 607 Poplar St., Suite C, Murray, 270-753-0908.
• Carlisle: 261 Front St. (senior center), Bardwell, 270-628-3941.
• Fulton: 201 N. Highland Drive, Fulton, 270-472-0002.
• Graves: 328 E. Broadway St., Mayfield, 270-247-4046.
• Hickman: 111 Clay St., Clinton, 270-653-4494.
• Marshall: 1101 Main St. (courthouse), Benton, 270-527-9766.
• McCracken: 709 S. 22nd St. (Elmwood Court), Apt. 9, Paducah, 270-444-7390.
Jenny Rushing, the community services block grant director of West Kentucky Allied Services, said that anyone in need of urgent aid can reach out to any of these offices for help.
“They can call any one of our aid offices,” she said. “Because we still haven’t fully been able to open back up to the public, we’re only allowed to have a maximum of two people in our building. We’re doing appointments, and if they can’t make it to the office for whatever reason, social workers can work out a way to help get them the assistance that they need.”
The assistance is based on income and in order to apply, applicants will need the Social Security card and birthday of all occupants, as well as their proof of incomes from the past month. Due to this being a crisis enrollment, applicants must be in danger of having their gas, electric or propane cut off.
“If they’re for propane, typically we tell them they have to be within four days of being cut off,” Rushing said. “It equals out to about 20% in their tank. if they’ve received a monthly bill, or gas bill or electric bill, they have to wait until they get a disconnect notice or they are within four days of being disconnected.”
There is definitely a need for assistance in this area, according to Rushing.
“We’re a community action agency, one of the 23 out of the state of Kentucky,” she said. “Since the tornadoes, we’ve had more people who’ve been displaced and that are just now getting back to our area. We have a need in many counties.”
The program and the West Kentucky Allied Services are funded federally and by the state.
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