The Ohio Department of Development and the Area Agency on Aging District 7 want to remind seniors in Ohio that assistance is available to help with their home energy bills. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps Ohioans at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines pay their heating bills.

Applied directly to the customer’s utility or bulk fuel bill, the benefit can help manage heating costs.

Senior citizens may go to their local area agency on Aging office for help with assembling the required documents and completing their HEAP application. Seniors may also visit www.energyhelp.ohio.gov to apply online or to download a copy of the application.

When applying, individuals need to have copies of the following documents:

• Most recent utility bills.

• A list of all household members (including birth dates and Social Security numbers).

• Proof of income for the past 30 days for all household members (12 months for certain income types).

• Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for all household members

• Proof of disability (if applicable).

HEAP benefits are applied to an individual’s energy bill after Jan. 1. Applications for the HEAP program must be received by May 31, 2023.

For more information about HEAP, contact the Area Agency on Aging District 7 at 1-800-582-7277 or e-mail info@aaa7.org.

The local partner with AAA7 is Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action.

Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. provides services on a non-discriminatory basis.

These services are available to help older adults and those with disabilities live safely and independently in their residence of choice through services paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, other federal and state resources, as well as private pay.

The AAA7’s Resource Center is also available to anyone in the community looking for information or assistance with long-term care options.

Available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., the resource center is a valuable contact for learning more about options and what programs and services are available for assistance.

Those interested in learning more can call toll-free at 1-800-582-7277 (TTY: 711).

Here, individuals can speak directly with a specially-trained resource specialist who will assist them with information surrounding the programs and services that are available to best serve their needs.

The agency also offers an assessment at no cost for those who are interested in learning more.

Information is also available on www.aaa7.org, or the agency can be contacted through e-mail at info@aaa7.org.

The agency also has a Facebook page located at www.facebook.com/AreaAgencyOnAgingDistrict7.