Program runs out of $$ to help poor with heating costs
Idaho's Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has run out of money three weeks earlier than usual, due to increased demand, and is shutting down today; it usually operates through April 1. “This year was an incredibly difficult year for tens of thousands of Idaho families,” said Mary Chant, Community Action Partnership Association of Idaho executive chair. “We could have easily served twice as many as we did if more funding had been available.”
The state's allocation of $17 million in federal funds served 45,000 low-income households this year. The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare said families can apply for home heating assistance through the program only through the close of business today; after that, they're advised to call 211 or go to www.idahocareline.org for "information on other resources that may be available to those struggling to meet home energy or other needs."
