ENERGY ASSISTANCE APPLICANTS - Please pay close attention to the application you are filling out to ensure it is for the correct year. The state has sent some old applications by mistake and there had been some confusion with applications at a couple of our partner sites. We have been to all locations to ensure the applications in our resource boxes are the correct year, so at this point if you receive your application directly from the state, from our office in Trenton, from any of our partner site resource boxes throughout our 9 county area, or from our website, you should be fine. It would be beneficial no matter where you pick up an application to double check the dates. They should read October 1, 2015 thru September 30, 2016. If you turn in an application from a previous year, you will be asked to complete a new one.

The state has now released copies of the 2015/2016 Winter Energy Assistance Program application to our agency. You can download/print a copy of it below. Instructions and additional sheets for listing family members are also linked to below. Applications for households with elderly or disabled residents will be processed beginning October 1st, 2015 and all other households will not begin being processed until November 1st, 2015. If you have questions about this application or the program itself, please feel free to call our office at 855-290-8544.

The Green Hills Community Action Agency/Community Action Partnership of North Central Missouri’s Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (or LIHEAP for short) will soon begin providing winter heating assistance to many households in northern Missouri.  People do not need to schedule appointments or physically visit the office in Trenton to begin the application process. The agency offers several different options to interested households for submitting applications, including postal mail, toll-free faxing, email, toll-free phone, and online assistance. 

How does the program work? In the instance of an EA (Energy Assistance), a client completes an initial application, and provides the required supporting documents (which may include proof of income, copies of social security cards, utility bills, and in certain cases landlord forms and/or wood supplier forms). Once approved for the program, a one-time payment will be mailed to a client’s chosen utility provider by the state.

Additional winter funding is also made available via ECIP (Energy Crisis Intervention Program), these funds are emergency monies provided to households who have already been approved for EA and currently have a disconnection notice for a heating-related utility (gas, electric, etc), a propane tank that has dropped below 25%, or those using wood or pellets for stoves (additional paperwork will be required).

Reminders - 

• You MUST fill out a new application, every winter season, even if you have received services before.
• You MUST fall at or below 135% of federal poverty income guidelines to qualify.
• You MUST turn in all requested supporting documents even if you've had liheap before. Copies of Social Security cards, income, and etc. are not kept on file from year to year.
• Leaving a voicemail is VERY important during LIHEAP season: messages should be short, to-the-point, and limited to your name, a working phone number, and a brief message. If in doubt, hit 0 for a receptionist.
• We are NOT able to contact your utility company, pledge payment, or postpone a shut-off until all paperwork is complete.
• Applications are processed in the order they are received (with the exception of crisis cases), but please note, most applications will be processed the day AFTER they are received in this office. Please plan for this accordingly.
• It is YOUR responsibility to contact your utility company to see if you have a remaining balance that must be paid after or before we can make a pledge. Never assume your entire bill has been paid.
• Our staff reserves the right to end any phone conversation or in-person interaction that becomes abusive, whether verbally (yelling, cursing, name calling, etc.) or physically (invasion of space, pushing, poking, etc).

Winter assistance begins October 1st, 2015 for the elderly or disabled, and November 1st, 2015 for all other households. No funds will be available for utility assistance prior to those dates. If you have questions regarding this program, please contact the agency at 855-290-8544 and hit 0 for an operator.