Black Hawk, Buchanan and Grundy Counties: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the State of Iowa has extended the application period for this season’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Iowa families are facing many challenges while coping with the Covid-19 virus. Some have lost jobs or had their hours of employment reduced. These circumstances could lead to difficulty in paying your utility bill. If you find yourself in that situation, there is help available through the State’s network of local community action agencies that have offices in all 99 counties.

Families can apply for the Energy Assistance program at Operation Threshold. The program can help pay a portion of an eligible household’s utility bill. Eligibility is based on household size and income. Anyone facing difficulty in paying their utility bill is encouraged to contact their local agency.

Due to the pandemic, Operation Threshold’s lobbies are closed, but staff are taking phone calls and responding to email inquiries at our crisis assistance email address: crisis@operationthreshold.org. Anyone wishing to apply can also apply online at thosolutions.com/liheapweb/.

Applicants will need to furnish some form of identification for all household members, a copy of their most recent heating and electric bills, and proof of all household members’ current gross income, or their gross income for the past 30 days or for the past calendar year. Applicants will also have to provide proof of their Social Security Number and documentation for every member of the household.

This program is not designed to pay a household’s total energy costs. Rather, the program will provide supplemental assistance based on several factors. Those factors include total household income, household size, dwelling type, and type of heating fuel, among others. Households may receive assistance once per season. Households already approved for assistance for the 2019-2020 will not be able to apply again until next season.

Eligibility for participation is established according to the following federal income guidelines:

Household Size Annual Gross Income* **

1 $21,858

2 $29,593

3 $37,328

4 $45,063

5 $52,798

6 $60,533

7 $68,268

8 $76,003

*For households with more than eight members, add $7,738 for each additional member.

** All income will be annualized. Income will be projected based on income at the date of application.

Those who qualify for LIHEAP are also protected by the moratorium, which, this year, prevents utility companies from disconnecting utilities from November 1st through May 1st.

For more information, or to make a donation to assist low-income households with an energy crisis (including emergency LP deliveries or utility disconnect situations), contact us at crisis@operationthreshold.org, call one of the Operation Threshold offices listed below, or visit our website at www.operationthreshold.org.

Black Hawk County Office

(319) 291-2065

Buchanan County Office

(319) 334-6081

Grundy County Office

(319) 824-3460