LIHEAP

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has ended. The new program will start up September 1, 2022. There is no assistance available for summer cooling.

Internet Assistance

INTERNET ASSISTANCE: The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program is a FCC program that provides a temporary discount on monthly broadband bills for qualifying low-income households. If your household is eligible, you can receive: • Up to a $50/month discount on your broadband service and associated equipment rentals • A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50) TO APPLY, GO TO: https://www.getemergencybroadband.org/

Covid-19

In response to Governor Pritzker’s directives and guidance from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Western Egyptian is not currently accepting face-to-face interactions with customers. Applications are still being accepted and may be submitted via fax, email, mail or at one of our three drop boxes. Our staff will continue to be in the office Monday – Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm to answer phones, process applications and provide services.

LIHWAP

Western Egyptian has received funding for the Low Income Home Water Assistance Program also known as LIHWAP. This program will be available to income eligible customers in Jackson, Monroe, Perry and Randolph Counties beginning January 1, 2022. LIHWAP requires that the customer either (1) have their water currently shut off due to non-payment; (2) have received a notice of shut off; or (3) owe more than $250 in arrears. To be eligible for assistance, a customer must first complete a Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) application and be approved. On that application, the customer should mark both energy & water assistance is needed and submit a copy of their water bill with their application. For energy assistance, a customer does not need to be late on their payments. If the customer already has an approved LIHEAP application for this program year (after September 1, 2021), they need only submit a copy of their water bill.

Furnace Assistance

The Furnace Assistance program has ended and will start back up on September 1, 2022. There is no assistance available for cooling.

Nondiscrimination Statement

“In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by: 1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or 2. fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or 3. email: program.intake@usda.gov This institution is an equal opportunity provider.”

PLEASE BE AWARE OF ONGOING CSBG SCAM.

The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) does not provide direct grants to individuals; CSBG does not charge a fee for receiving a grant. If you receive a message offering you a CSBG grant or requesting a fee, please contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Fraud Hotline at 1-800-447-8477. For more information, please visit the Grant Fraud and Scams: Grant-Related Scams | GRANTS.GOV.