Energy Assistance Available Through the Access Community Action Agency

NEWS RELEASE

 

Elisha Sherman, Communications & Development Coordinator

(860) 450-7400, ext. 7456/ Elisha.Sherman@accessagency.org

August 15, 2019

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Energy Assistance Available

Through the Access Community Action Agency

 

Applications for energy assistance for the 2019-2020 heating season are now being accepted by the Access Community Action Agency.  Program eligibility is determined by total household gross income and is available for all heated households using oil, kerosene, propane, wood, coal, electric, or natural gas heat except motor homes and campers.  Residents of Windham and Tolland counties can contact Access in Willimantic at 860-450-7423 or in Danielson at 860-412-1568 to make an appointment to determine eligibility and to find out what documentation they will need to bring to their appointments. Appointments are currently available during the agency’s normal business hours of 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. with new extended hours until 6:00 p.m. on every other Monday two times per month (call for scheduling). Households that have received energy assistance in the past must reapply and bring in updated documentation to be eligible for the new heating season.  Each applicant must bring in copies of their documentation and if there is missing documentation they will be rescheduled. Previous Access customers can create an account and schedule an appointment online at: https://accessagency.nexacomm.net/.

 

This program is federally funded by LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) and is administered by the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The Energy Assistance program is designed to offset winter heating costs for low-income (below 60% of state median income) households in Windham and Tolland counties.  Benefits are determined by total household gross income and liquid assets. Deliverable-heated households may use benefits starting November 15^th and ending March 15. Utility-heated households (Eversource Energy, electric and gas) are eligible to participate in the matching payment programs and are protected from utility shut-off from November 15 through April 15.

 

To apply for assistance, applicants must schedule an appointment and provide copies of the following documents for all household members 18 and over and not in school:

 

• Names, birthdates and proof of Social Security card numbers for all household members.
• Pay stubs if employed, (4 if paid weekly, 2 if paid bi-weekly), unemployment printout.
• Self-employment worksheet if self-employed.
• Letter for SS, SSI, SSDI, DSS readout for cash assistance and SNAP benefits.
• Proof of Child Support and/or Alimony documents.
• Rent Receipt/Lease, with name, address and telephone number of landlord.
• Mortgage statement or tax bill if property owner.
• Utility bill(s) with account numbers for the residence in household member’s name.
• All pages of recent bank account statements (checking & savings) showing name & account numbers of all household members.
• Liquid Assets are assets that are readily convertible to cash, and include savings accounts, checking accounts, bonds, stocks/shares, certificates of deposit, annuities and individual retirement accounts (IRAs), provided the IRA’s accounts are in the name of a household member who is 59 ½ years old or older. Households must   provide verification of all liquid assets
• Letter from friend or relative if they give support money, must have an amount.
• If paid under the table a letter stating how much you were paid during the previous 4 weeks.
• Financial aid forms for everyone in the household.

	Town	Intake Site	Address	Zip	Phone#	Alternate Phone#	Hours of Operation	Contact Person	Start Date
2	Ashford	Ashford Social Services	5 Town Hall Rd	06278	(860) 487-4417	mmcdonough@ashfordct.org	Mon & Tues 9-3	Melissa McDonough	09/03
3	Canterbury	Canterbury Seniors	1 Municipal Drive	06331	(860) 546-9845	ehebert@canterburyct.org	Thurs 9-5	Karen Sulich	09/05
4	Coventry	Orchard Hills Estates  (ONLY)                   Coventry Housing Authority	1630 Main Street	06238	(860) 742-5518	coventry.authority@att.net coventryhousing@yahoo.com	M-F 8:30-2:30	Laurie Pinkston Sharon Boisvert	08/15
5	Coventry	Coventry Human Services	1712 Main Street	06238	(860) 742-5324	cchan@coventryct.org; dgrindle@coventryct.org	M,T,W 8:30-4:30            Th 8:30-6:30  Fri 8:30-1:30	Courtney Chan Dianna Grindle	09/09
6	Danielson	ACCESS Agency Inc.	231 Broad St	06239	(860) 412-1568	shirley.riemann@accessagency.org	M 8-4            T,W,Th,F 8-4	Shirley Riemann	08/01
7	Ellington	Ellington Housing Authority	55 main Street	06029	(860) 872-6923	cabouley@sbcglobal.net	M,W,Th       9 – 3:30	Cathy Bouley	11/01
8	Hebron	Hebron Senior Center	14 Stonecroft Drive	06248	(860) 228-1700	sgarrard@hebronct.com tcolesbailey@hebronct.com	M-Th 8-4:30              Fri 8-1	Sharon Garrard Tanya Bailey	10/15
9	Hebron	Hebron Interfaith Human Service	20 Pendleton Drive	06248	(860) 228-1681	hihs@att.net	Mon & Tues 9-11:30	Christa Goodwin-babka	09/16
10	North Grosvenordale	TEEG                (Thompson & Putnam)	65 Main Street	06255	(860) 923-3458	thereseh@teegonline.org	M-F 9-4	Therese Horvath	08/15
11	Somers	Somers Social Services	600 Main Street	06071	(860) 265-7551	(860) 749-7160 ccenac@somersct.gov  and dschuetz@somersct.gov	M-F 8-4	Christina Cenac Deanna Schuetz	09/02
12	Stafford Springs	Stafford Social Services	21 Hyde Park	06076	(860) 684-7752	(860) 684-3906 parrowg@staffordct.org	M,T,W             8-4:30         Th 8-6:30	Jenn Strong	09/03
13	Stafford Springs	Stafford Housing Authority	91 West Street	06076	(860) 684-4973	staffordrsc@gmail.com cbill@staffodha.com	M-Th 8-1	Caroline Bill	09/01
14	Storrs	Wrights Village                   (only tenants)	309 Maple Rd	06268	(860) 487-0693 EXT:5	kmatychak@mansfieldhousingct.org	M,T,Th 8-3	Karen Matychak	09/03
15	Tolland	Tolland Human Services	21 Tolland Green	06084	860-871-3648 (secretary)	(860) 871-3612 (nancy)                  nancydunn@tolland.org   jpitney@tolland.org	M,T,W        8-4:30         Th 8-7:30	Nancy Dunn    Jeanne Pitney	09/03
16	Tolland	Tolland Senior Center	674 Tolland Stage Road	6084	(860) 870-3726	rellert@tolland.org	M-Th              8:30 – 3:30 F 8:30-12	Rebecca Ellert	09/03
17	Vernon	Vernon Social Services Office	14 Park Place. 1st floor	06066	(860) 870-3661	mrodriguez@vernon-ct.gov;	M,T,W 8:30-4:30            Th 8:30-7                Fri 8:30-1	Allison Maynard (EXT:3)	09/09
18	Willimantic	ACCESS Agency Inc.	1315 Main St Suite 2	06226	(860) 450-7423	shirley.riemann@accessagency.org	Mon 8-4           T,W,Th,F 8-4	Shirley Riemann	08/01
19	Willington	Willington Youth & Family Services Energy Staff	40 Old Farms Rd	06279	(860) 487-3118	wyfss@willingtonct.org; jarpin@willingtonct.org	M               12:30-7:30       T, W,Th,F            9-2	Jennie Arpin	09/23