Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
The Delaware Energy Assistance Program (DEAP) is a federally funded program for low-income families that need help in meeting their costs of home energy. The Division of State Service Centers (DSSC) administers this program on a contractual basis with Catholic Charities, Inc. Funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). DEAP services provide assistance to income eligible families to help them meet their home energy needs. Income eligibility is defined as 200% of the federal poverty level. (As a reference, please see the Division of Social Services' Income Eligibility tables.) DEAP has several components which include:
- Fuel Assistance: Help with home energy bills from the period of October 1 - March 31. This includes grants to income eligible households to help pay for home heating, which includes electricity, natural gas, kerosene, propane, coal, or wood. Grants are made to both homeowners and renters.
- Crisis Assistance: This component helps households in crisis during the winter months and may be in the form of a supplemental grant to their fuel assistance benefit. In addition to being income eligible, households must show they are experiencing a crisis (i.e., shut-off notice, out of fuel, no money to pay for fuel).
- Summer Cooling Assistance Program (SCAP): This program operates during the months of June-August and helps pay for electricity to cool homes with air conditioning during the hot, humid summer months. In addition to receiving a grant to offset the high costs of electricity to air condition a home, some populations may be eligible to receive a room sized air conditioning unit.
It is important to call Catholic Charities to find out where and how to apply for assistance. To contact Catholic Charities call:
- Kent County: (302) 674-1782
- New Castle County: (302) 654-9295
- Sussex County: (302) 856-6310
For additional information about LIHEAP, the following link is available:
www.neada.org
For further information, contact the Division of State Service Centers.
