Apply Now for Heating, Rental Assistance Grants
Eligible residents who struggle to pay their home heating bills can now apply for assistance from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps individuals and families pay their heating bills through home heating energy assistance grants. It also provides crisis grants to help in the event of an emergency or if a resident is in danger of losing his or her heat due to broken equipment, lack of fuel or termination of utility service.
The income eligibility guidelines for LIHEAP are set at 150% of the federal poverty income level. For a household of four, the income limit is $39,750. Due to the availability of funds through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, there will be an increase in the minimum LIHEAP cash grant from $200 to $500 and an increase in the maximum cash grant from $1,000 to $1,500. The maximum LIHEAP crisis grant will increase from $600 to $1,200. LIHEAP is distributed directly to a household’s utility company or home heating fuel provider.
Residents may apply for LIHEAP online or by contacting the County Assistance Office in their county of residence. Click here for additional information. The program runs through May 6, 2022. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is also available in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties to help eligible tenants cover the cost of overdue or upcoming utility and rental payments.
Pennsylvanians who are responsible for paying rent or utilities on a residential property, and have one or more people within the household who has experienced financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic that puts them at risk of homelessness or a utility shutoff, could be eligible for up to 18 months of ERAP assistance. More information is available at dhs.pa.gov/erap.
Help Protect PA Wildlife – Report Poachers
If you are out hunting, fishing, birdwatching or hiking and witness poaching or other suspicious or illegal activity involving wildlife, the Pennsylvania Game Commission urges you to call its toll-free hotline and report it. Operation Game Thief (OGT) can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 1-888-PGC-8001 or fill out an online form here. Be sure to share as many details as possible, including the location, date and time of the occurrence; a description of the person(s) involved, their mode of travel and the species affected. Monetary rewards may be offered in some cases. More information about the program is available online at pgc.pa.gov.
No Minimum Deposit for PA’s 529 Tuition Account Program
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced this week that the minimum contribution to open a PA 529 College and Career Savings Program account has been eliminated. Once a PA 529 account is opened, future contributions can be as small as $1. Contributions can be made to PA 529 accounts online via electronic bank transfer, through the mail by check or money order, or by automatic contribution from a bank or paycheck. PA 529 account owners receive generous tax advantages and the savings have no impact on state financial aid. The accounts can be used to pay for tuition, including fees, equipment, books, room and board and other qualified higher education expenses. PA 529 account owners can choose to save with the PA 529 Investment Plan (IP) or the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP). To learn more visit pa529.com, email pa529@patreasury.gov or call 800-440-4000.
Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Period Begins
Medicare’s open enrollment period is now underway and will continue through Tuesday, Dec. 7. If you or a loved one are looking for information about the plan best for you, the Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight, or PA MEDI (formerly known as APPRISE), can help. PA MEDI provides free, one-on-one counseling with Medicare beneficiaries, family members and caregivers with questions about the open enrollment period, health insurance benefits and how Medicare works. To find your PA MEDI counselor, contact your local Area Agency on Aging or the PA MEDI helpline at 1-800-783-7067.
