LIHEAP season is here for those needing help keeping warm

Today  is the first day for people to apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program or LIHEAP.  

Barry O’Sullivan of the Philadelphia Gas Works says homeowners could receive up to $1,000 in heating assistance if they sign up for LIHEAP.

“Without a program like LIHEAP, many of these households often end up have to make the choice between being warm and buying food or being warm or buying medicine and that’s a choice that any family during the winter should not have to make,” said O’Sullivan.

O’Sullivan says about 150,000 families in Philadelphia are eligible to sign up for the program.

“The amount of money the federal government has been reduced by 50 percent almost compared to last year and we urge all PGW customers to submit their applications as quickly as they can,” he said.

The grants run from $100 to $1,000 and are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.  Grants are available through other gas utilities and also for people who heat with other fuels.