Low-Income Energy Assistance (LIEAP)

The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) provides families and individuals a one-time cash payment to help pay heating bills. Applications are taken the first two weeks in November and all eligible households receive a check in the mail in early February.

Both families and individuals may apply and must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:

• Household must meet an income test;
• Household must be responsible for its heating bills;
• Household cannot have resources over $2,200; and
• Applicant must be American Indian with the energy bill in their name.

Crisis Intervention Program (CIP)

The Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) will provide financial assistance to households that are experiencing a heating or cooling-related emergency. This program may help if families experience difficulty paying heating bills in winter or cooling costs in summer. The CIP Program can also help with repairs to weatherize homes via insulation or repair/replacement of a heater or windows for American Indian homeowners.

Families and individuals may apply. To qualify, all of the following must be met:

• Income Test;
• Experiencing a heating or cooling-related emergency; and
• Applicant must be an American Indian with the energy bill in their name.

Residential Energy Assistance Challenge (REACh)

The Lumbee Tribe has received a grant in the amount of $150,000 from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to administer the Residential Energy Assistance Challenge (REACh) Option under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), currently operated by the Tribe.

Under the REACh Program the Tribe has committed to using the funds to assist 75 Lumbee families in the counties of Hoke, Robeson and Scotland to reduce the energy burden through the purchase of heating or cooling systems, installation of weatherization assistance by window installation, and various energy conservation educational materials.

These services will target tribal members who are served through LIHEAP but whose needs exceed the limited amount of assistance currently available through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. LIHEAP provides American Indian families and individuals with heating and cooling assistance. The household must meet an income guideline, cannot have resources over $2,200, and must be an American Indian with the energy bill in their name.

Further information can be obtained by contacting
June Jacobs at 910-521-7861.

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