Community Action of Southern Kentucky recently received $2.6 million for the “crisis” portion of its Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program – double the amount provided through the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services in 2018.

“The state as a whole got a huge increase,” said Melanie Lawrence, the community services manager at CASOKY. “What it means for the community is that we can serve more individuals in crisis. This should carry us through the end of March.”

Beginning Monday, residents from the Barren River region can apply for utility heating assistance on a first-come, first-served basis.

Demand fluctuates annually with winter weather and utility prices, which typically increase year to year. Last year, the nonprofit’s crisis program assisted 1,776 households in Warren County alone, and depleted the first round of funds by the first week of March – relying on a later grant to get through the winter.

In November, CASOKY received about $470,000 to distribute heating bill assistance through the LIHEAP “subsidy” program, which offers assistance to people on the basis of their income or subsidized housing.

Since ending Dec. 14, CASOKY’s office has received countless calls from each of the counties. Lawrence managed the phone during the week after Christmas, and received calls seemingly “like every other minute,” she said.

Although the region hasn’t encountered severe weather this winter – and the nonprofit is unlikely to run out of funds this year – Lawrence wouldn’t be surprised if people began lining up on Center Street at 3 a.m. Monday.

“It’s usually the worst (during) the first week of crisis,” she said.

To receive assistance, a household must meet the basic LIHEAP eligibility criteria (available at casoky.org/liheap-subsidy), and they have to be in a crisis situation. That could be a past due or disconnect service for natural gas or electric service, an eviction notice for nonpayment of rent from a landlord if heating costs are included as an undesignated portion of rent or the household is within four days of running out of heating fuel, such as coal, fuel oil, propane, kerosene or wood. For bulk fuels, verification of a crisis situation may be self-declared. But for other crises, documentation is required.

There are drop-off spots throughout the 10-county region. For a full list of locations, visit casoky.org/locations.

Various households apply for utility assistance. Sometimes it’s an average family behind on bills, and sometimes it’s an elderly resident facing high medical costs. No matter the reason, each household will be eligible to receive up to $400 through a single bill or multiple bills during the course of the winter season.

“It ensures that individuals can continue to stay in their homes,” Lawrence said. “This way they won’t have to choose between keeping their heat on and buying their medicine … or buying their groceries.”

The federally funded program is administered through a partnership between Community Action and the Kentucky Department for Health and Family Services.