Agency offers help with power bills in Danville
DANVILLE – Financial help with power bills is being offered next week to qualifying low-income residents and families.
The East Central Illinois Community Action Agency is holding the Cooling Blitz on Monday and Tuesday at the David S. Palmer Arena, 100 W. Main St., Danville, for eligible residents in need of assistance with their summer cooling bills. Benefits are paid directly to the household's utility provider.
A one-time payment will be processed at the blitz for qualified households on a first-come, first-serve basis between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. People are encouraged to park in the city parking garage at the corner of North and Walnut streets, which is one block north of the arena.
The following items must be brought to the blitz:
– Proof of income for all household members for the past 30 days.
– A copy of the most recent electric bill.
– Social Security cards for all household members.
– A new requirement: Proof of age, such as photo identification or a birth certificate, for household members who are 36 months and younger or 60 years and older.
To qualify for the cooling blitz assistance, a household must have an income of up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level and also meet one of the following criteria:
– The household has a member with a medical condition, such as asthma, emphysema, coronary disease, and/or terminal illness, that can be improved by air conditioning. When applying for assistance, applicants must bring a doctor's certification letter dated within the last 90 days, stating that the medical condition would be aggravated by extreme heat.
– The household has a member who is elderly, age 60 or older.
– The household has children ages 36 months or younger.
– The household has a member receiving Social Security disability benefits or has a pending determination case at the Social Security Administration. When applying for assistance, the applicant must bring a letter of determination from the Social Security Administration or receipt of Social Security disability benefit statement.
If funds remain after the Cooling Blitz, applications will be taken at the community action agency administration building, 56 N. Vermilion St., Danville, on a walk-in basis until July 30. Applications will be taken until funds are exhausted.
MoreWill they be giving out any incentive, devices and/or instruction as how to lower bills? Will someone access their living space for improvements needed? Are those who rent to low income required to pass an energy conservation test? If one apartment can have drafts fixed, maybe it would save taxpayers from these types of payments.
People are always screaming about taxpayer's money that is paying for these types of programs. Do you ever stop to think that at one time these people might being paying taxes from their job as well? Ever think that these people might have lost their job and need this program now? I think that anyone that meets these guidelines deserves to receive these payments. I am pretty sure that if one day the ones who are against this program will need it and they will be the first ones in line for it.
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