
Seniors frustrated with non-profits utility assistance process
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Atlanta-area seniors are raising concerns on a program aimed to help pay their heating bills.
They say it’s nearly impossible to sign up for – and something needs to change.
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program also known as LIHEAP is a federally funded program. The funds are distributed by the state to local community action agencies.
Brenda Rawling, 76, applies for utility assistance through Partnership for Community Action every 6 months.
She says she only has $172 left if she doesn’t get approved for the next round of funding, “My bill each month has been running up to 90 something dollars.”
Rawling says the application process has been an ongoing hassle.
“We are seniors we all are on fixed incomes,” she said. “We do the best we can to keep a roof over our head.”
The private non-profit has a special application window for seniors.
Rawling says she logged online the moment winter enrollment opened on Dec. 2, but appointments were already full.
Rawling says she tried to call and was hung up on, so she went in person.
“They tell us that were not supposed to come here,” she said.
And she’s not alone.
Claudette Brown says she’s has been trying to get the assistance for over a year.
“I’ve done tried and tried and tried,” she said.
Partnership for Community Action sent this statement on the concerns:
“Why do we have to go through this frustration of trying to apply when your system is down?” said Rawling. “It’s getting to a point where I can’t sleep at night, because I don’t know from one day to the other whether or not I can finish paying for my utilities.”
Atlanta News First reached out to the Georgia Department of Human Resources who oversees the funds distributed to local non-profits. We did not hear immediately back.
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