Heat and utility bill assistance may be for you.
Though this past winter was very mild in comparison to previous years, many Maine residents, myself included, struggled to pay our bills, including our utility and heating ones. It seems like there’s never enough money to go around.
We have been granted a nice reprieve this year, though. Many of us no longer have to run our furnaces like we normally would during this time of year due to the abnormally warm temperatures here in southern Maine. It’s been warm enough for me to open windows and enjoy the fresh air. It’s definitely been a nice change of pace. However, as we also know, the weather can be unpredictable and we just may end up with a significant snowfall and be forced to turn our furnaces back up.
If you’re worried about being able to pay for oil or your electric bill, you should check into heat and utility bill assistance through LIHEAP and LIAP. You can find out more about Maine’s income eligibility guidelines via their official website. The deadline for applications is the end of April, so you only have a few weeks left to get yours in. You can find a complete list of LIHEAP (Low Income Heat Energy Assistance Program) contacts on the website mentioned above, as well.
Other programs of interest:
LIAP (Low Income Assistance Plan)
CHIP (Central Heating Improvement Program)