The Ohio Department of Development and the Area Agency on Aging District 7 want to remind Ohioans that assistance is available to help with their home energy bills. The Home Energy Assistance Programhelps Ohioans at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines pay their heating bills.

Applied directly to the customer’s utility or bulk fuel bill, the benefit can help manage heating costs. Ohioans can visit www.energyhelp.ohio.gov to apply online, download a copy of the application, or find contact information for a local energy assistance provider. When applying, individuals need to have copies of the following documents:

• Most recent utility bills.

• A list of all household members (including birth dates and Social Security numbers).

• Proof of income for the past 30 days for all household members (12 months for certain income types).

• Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for all household members

• Proof of disability (if applicable).

HEAP benefits are applied to an individual’s energy bill after Jan. 1. Applications for the HEAP program must be received by May 31, 2022.

For more information about HEAP, contact the Area Agency on Aging District 7 at 1-800-582-7277 or e-mail info@aaa7.org.

To be connected to your local energy assistance provider, call (800) 282-0880 (hearing impaired clients may dial 711 for assistance) or visit www.energyhelp.ohio.gov.

Local partners in the AAA7’s core 10-county district include:

Adams County – Adams County Senior Citizens Center

Brown County – Adams-Brown Economic Opportunities, Inc.

Gallia County – RSVP of the Ohio Valley

Highland County – Highland County Community Action

Jackson County – RSVP of the Ohio Valley

Lawrence County – Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action

Pike County – Community Action Committee of Pike County

Ross County – Ross County Community Action

Scioto County – Scioto County Community Action

Vinton County – RSVP of the Ohio Valley

Your local Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. provides services on a non-discriminatory basis. These services are available to help older adults and those with disabilities live safely and independently in their own homes through services paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, other federal and state resources, as well as private pay. The AAA7’s Resource Center is also available to anyone in the community looking for information or assistance with long-term care options. Available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., the Resource Center is a valuable contact for learning more about options and what programs and services are available for assistance.

Those interested in learning more can call toll-free at 1-800-582-7277 (TTY: 711). Here, individuals can speak directly with a specially-trained Resource Specialist who will assist them with information surrounding the programs and services that are available to best serve their needs.

The Agency also offers an assessment at no cost for those who are interested in learning more.

Information is also available on www.aaa7.org, or the Agency can be contacted through e-mail at info@aaa7.org.

The Agency also has a Facebook page located at www.facebook.com/AreaAgencyOnAgingDistrict7.

Jennifer Dovyak-Lewis is director of community outreach and training for Area Agency on Aging District 7.