Utility assistance available as winter approaches

Nov. 13—Kimberley Irvin of Falkville is 62, disabled and on a fixed income. She has to budget carefully, and that made her thankful for the utility assistance she received recently for utility bills that are normally $300 monthly.

She said it enabled her to divert money toward other necessities.

"It's helped a lot, because now I can actually get my medicine and things I need," she said. "When you have a light bill, you have to choose, am I going to pay the light bill, or gas in the car, or medicine that I need, and now I can do what I need to do.

"It's helped me tremendously."

Irvin's household is one of more than 3,000 in five counties helped this year by utility bill assistance programs offered by the Community Action Partnership of North Alabama.

"Our utility assistance program is designed to help customers with their energy needs," said Cindy Anderson, CAPNA's director of community services. "We see clients with great need, many times in desperate situations."

For almost 50 years, CAPNA has offered energy assistance to low-income families through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Along with documentation, the only requirement for assistance is a household income below 150% of the federal poverty line.

"You're working with families with disabilities a lot of times, families who are elderly, families with many kids, the whole gamut," said Tim Thrasher, CAPNA's CEO. "With (costs of) groceries and gas going up, it's very difficult for their normal budget.

"Those populations are affected very much. Giving some relief allows them to ease the costs."

Irvin has received assistance with energy costs from CAPNA three times. She struggles with back problems and fibromyalgia after a lifetime of hard work.

"My back is in bad shape," she said. "I worked my whole life, sometimes two jobs. I raised three children by myself. I just overdid it."

Anderson said Irvin is just one of many CAPNA clients whose ability to work is limited by disabilities.

"It's a wonderful benefit to our families that are on a set income," Anderson said of utility assistance. "Most of them are very conservative with their money, and they know exactly where every dollar they get that month is going to go, and they budget accordingly."

Households can receive energy assistance twice a year: once in the "heating" season, which runs from October to May, and once in the "cooling" season, from June to September.

CAPNA assisted 3,504 households in this year's cooling season and doesn't have data yet on heating season assistance. At least one elderly person lived in 1,395 of those households it helped, and 1,982 of the households had at least one disabled person.

Thrasher said assistance with even one utility bill can mean a world of a difference to someone with a fixed income or low income.

"We're helping people basically to be able to stay in their homes, to make sure they have sustenance, clothing, shelter," he said. "If inflation goes up, they might not be able to stay where they're living. Housing is an issue right now. It's in short supply, it's expensive."

CAPNA gets energy relief funds from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. The organization received $67 million for 2023.

Those seeking assistance with utility costs must be below the income threshold. They also must provide a photo ID, a Social Security card, income documentation for all residents in a household, a copy of the lease of the home, and a copy of the current utility or water bill with an account number for the prior month.

Applications for energy assistance can be found in the lobbies of many utilities providers, any of the CAPNA offices in Morgan, Lawrence, Cullman, Marion and Winston counties, or online at capna.org.

Once approved the utility assistance is credited directly to the household's utility account within two weeks.

If the amount awarded is more than the utility bill listed, the remainder of the funds will be credited toward the next month's utilities.

In households with one to four people, monthly assistance amounts range from $280 to $530.

Legislation sometimes provides more money to those requesting assistance. Last year, for example, the American Rescue Plan Act awarded an additional $300 on top of the base assistance funds directed to CAPNA clients.

"Especially with the supplemental funding, it is possible an award could carry you three or four months," Anderson said. "It depends on if you're conservative with power and following energy-saving tips we provide."

— emma.daniel@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2437. Twitter @DD_EDaniel