Legal Lessons: Public Benefits Edition
February 28, 2020
Harvey Savitt, Esq.
March 2, 2020Do your clients need extra help keeping warm?Project Warmth is a non-governmental emergency fuel fund. It provides one-time grants for fuel or electricity used for heat. Assistance comes through direct payments to oil and utility companies. Project Warmth grants can be used to get an oil delivery or to cover arrears.Eligibility criteria include:
- Residency in Nassau County, Suffolk County or the Rockaway area in Queens.
- Heating or fuel-related electric bill in applicant’s name and residential address.
- Terminated or severely overdue account, or the applicant must be unable to afford a re-fill when a fuel tank is near empty (1/4 tank or less).
- Demonstrate financial hardship and provide an acceptable explanation for arrears.
- Assistance available only once each program year. Clients who received assistance in a previous year may be ineligible.
- HEAP eligible clients must apply to Emergency HEAP before Project Warmth.
To apply call 211 or 888-774-7633, 7 days a week, between 9:00am to 5:00pm.Additional energy assistance is available from PSEG Long Island’s Household Assistance Program (HAP). Contact consumeradvocacyli@pseg.com to learn about monthly electricity savings for recipients of SNAP, SSI, Medicaid or HEAP.National Grid customers with low incomes should call (800) 930-5003 for information about monthly bill credits from their Energy Affordability Program (EAP).
