With colder weather coming this weekend and rising energy prices, Community Action Partnership branches across the state say they’re in a good position to help people with their heating bills.
Terra Rogers is the Director of Energy Services Programs at Southwestern Community Services. She said this year they haven’t seen a spike in demand for heating assistance.
But she said she knows that could change.
“People might panic a little if the prices get much higher than they are right now,” Rogers said. “New Hampshire, it seems like we've been impacted, but not as much as some other states out there yet.”
Earlier in the year Rogers said her organization had a delay in processing applications due to new software issues, but they’re able to process them the same day now.
According to the state’s Department of Energy, about 30,000 households have applied for the state’s fuel assistance program this year. That's about the same amount of people at this time last year.
A department spokesperson said the state has also received about the same amount of low income emergency assistance funds from the federal government this year compared to last.
Households that are at 60% of the state’s medium income can get help with home heating costs. A family of four making a little more than $90,000 could qualify. A single person earning $47,600 can also qualify.
Community Action Partnerships across the state can help people who qualify with heating costs in a variety of ways - like supplying wood and pellets, as well as bio bricks along with oil, kerosene and electricity assistance.
The state recommends people reach out to their area’s CAP office if they are in need of help.
Heating assistance runs till April 30.
