The Winter Crisis Program for assistance with heating bills is taking appointments and soon will offer walk-in hours for customers whose utility services have been turned off.
In Summit County, Akron Summit Community Action Inc. will administer the Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (E-HEAP) for the 2011-2012 Winter Crisis Program under contract with the Ohio Department of Development.
The program begins Thursday and runs through March 31.
Walk-in service will be offered at the 670 W. Exchange St. office from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 1 through Nov. 13, except for Nov. 12, when the site will be closed in observance of Veterans Day.
Walk-in scheduling is determined on a first-come, first-served basis to customers whose utility services are off, need to be transferred, need new service or those out of bulk fuel.
Walk-in service then will resume Nov. 19.
Customers with disconnection notices must call the toll-free E-HEAP appointment line at 1-866-504-7400 to schedule an appointment.
For eligible clients, E-HEAP will cover the following:
• Pay up to $175 for people whose utility service has been disconnected or needs to be transferred.
• Pay up to $175 for people with a disconnection notice from their gas and/or electric utility company.
• Pay up to $750 to fill a tank for people who have less than a 25 percent supply of bulk fuel.
Customers must be income eligible.
For a household of four, the three-month income must not exceed $11,525 or $46,100 for a 12-month income.