Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
People who need help paying this winter's heating bills can begin applying for assistance at REAL Services.
The Family and Social Services Administration will distribute more than $42 million in federal monies to about 122,000 households this year, according to a FSSA press release.
County residents may apply for assistance in the REAL Services office, on the basement level of the Kosciusko County courthouse, after making an appointment, according to Rosemary Gerrity, who administers the Energy Assistance Program.
"The application process lasts about 30 minutes," Gerrity said today. "Bring copies of proof of income for the household, a current heating bill, a current rent receipt, if you rent, and Social Security numbers and birth dates of everyone in the household."
Gerrity, a seasonal REAL Services worker, has helped people fill out the applications for 14 years. She's never had anyone turned away, except in extreme cases, where a disconnect has been in effect for months.
She recommends, if a disconnect is pending, that an appointment be made as soon as possible. Gerrity contacts the appropriate utility and advises them a voucher is on the way.
"We figure out how much the person will be receiving and let the utility know they will be getting paid enough to cover a disconnect, as long as it's reasonable."
Applications are forwarded to the South Bend office, where REAL Services is a designated Community Action Agency.
The assistance is for people who earn 125 percent of the federal poverty level or less: $11,225 or less for a single person and $3,925 for each additional household member ($23,000 for a family of four).
For an appointment, call 372-2392 and expect a couple of days delay.
"We've been very busy the first couple of weeks. A lot of people have disconnects," she said. Appointments taken today would be scheduled for Monday.
Clients of Combined Community Services will be referred to REAL Services for help with heating bills, according to executive director Laura Kauffman.
The amount for heating assistance a family may receive varies according to a formula that compares a family's utility costs to its income and situation. Basic benefits can range anywhere from $100 to $335 this winter, or an average of $245 per family.
Because the funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, FSSA encourages people with low incomes to apply for assistance as soon as possible. Last year, $35.5 million was spent on energy assistance.
State law bars all state-regulated utilities from disconnecting families who have applied and are qualified for the state's Energy Assistance Program.
Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, $50,197,270, and $3 million from the oil overcharge account, for a total of $53,197,270.
REAL Services also will accept mail-in applications. Call the South Bend office, 800-552-2916, for more information.
On the Net: www.in.gov/ fssa/families/housing/eas.html
