Daviess County leaders on Thursday highlighted available funding for utility and other types of assistance amid the COVID-19 pandemic and colder winter weather. For residents who don’t know where to start in seeking, the 211 help line connects callers to community resources regarding housing, utility bills, food, health care, and mental health services.
Thursday’s info session included representatives from Audubon Area Community Services, the Green River Area Development District, and United Way. It was hosted by Judge-Executive Al Mattingly at the Daviess County Courthouse.
The full video of the session can be watched here.
Mattingly said there are both some traditional and non-traditional pots of money available in Daviess County for utility assistance.
“I know that we have folks in our community who are hurting because of the utility bills, and we want to make sure that we get this money out to the folks who need it, to the folks that the money was designated for,” Mattingly said.
Blaine Mathew, Manager of Digital Communications and Innovation, United Way
“When I started out at United Way, I was tasked with finding every single program in our region and putting that into an online database that can be accessed 24/7, 365 via phone, website, text message, or application,” Mathew said. “Anybody can call 211 anytime of day and get connected to over 1,800 different resources in our region.”
Mathew said many people use that number to get utility assistance, but they can also get access to things such as feeding programs, child care, senior meals, nursing homes and even special population services.
Mathew said one of the biggest benefits is the caller will talk to a live person who will do more than just say there are options. He said the caller will get all the information they need.
“They don’t just learn about where the resources are or what agency you go to,” he said. “They’re going to learn the address of the agency. They’re going to know what time they are open, and they’re going to know the requirements (for application). We want them to be as prepared as they can be so when they go to the agency they get the services they need.”
Robyn Mattingly, Social Support Services Director, Audubon Area Community Services
Mattingly broke down how LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) can benefit people in Daviess County.
She said the LIHEAP program has historically consisted of a fall and a winter component. The Fall Subsidy is generally a one-time assistance program, and benefit amounts can vary anywhere from $50 to $200 depending on income levels.
She said the Winter Crisis (typically January through March, or until funds are depleted) differs from fall because individuals have to have a disconnect in order to apply for services. Those benefits typically have a max benefit of $400.
Since March 2020, Audubon has run consistently with no break in services. There’s been spring and summer programs in addition to the fall and winter programs.
A new program called LIHWAP (Low-Income Home Wastewater Assistance Program) has also been running since January.
To apply for LIHEAP or LIHWAP, residents will need to provide the following:
- A copy of a driver’s license
- Copies of social security cards for everybody in the household
- Proof of income for everyone in the household for the previous month
- For subsidy, the most recent bill
- For crisis, a disconnect or eviction notice
To be eligible, households must be at or below 150% of poverty level, which is:
- $1,610 for household of one
- $2,178 for household of two
- $2,745 for household of three
- $3,313 for household of four
- For higher household numbers, call 270-686-1662.
Applications can be completely submitted online here.
“Our staff will call them when that application has been processed to tell them what their benefit amount is,” Mattingly said. “Or if a staff member gets in there and (the application isn’t complete), then the staff will call and say we need this in order to continue to process. It’s also very important when somebody goes into that portal to make sure that they save their information and they click ‘submit’ and they’ll get a confirmation or verification number.”
Blake Edge, Director of Community & Economic Development, GRADD
Edge described how CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funds can be used for utility assistance. The program was created by the State of Kentucky to specifically serve utility assistance during COVID-19. Edge said it was originally for water/sewer assistance, but then needs opened up and it now covers electric and gas.
“The big difference with these funds is there is no income limit,” Edge said. “You are asked to provide proof of income, but if you have been affected by COVID in any way, you are eligible for assistance with past due (bills) on electric, water, gas and sewer.”
That payment is made directly to the utility companies through Audubon services. Edge said when they started this program there were $1.6 million in past due balances in Daviess County, but “people have really paid that down.”
Edge said they have only given out about $14,000 of the $200,000 available in Daviess County of CDBG utility assistance money. The assistance is only available to be used for past-due bills.
For more information, call 270-926-4433 or visit the GRADD website here.
Brandon Harley, Deputy CEO, Audubon Area Community Services
Harley said there are also other smaller funding streams that are available.
He said Kenergy clients can participate in KORI (Kenergy Operation Roundup Initiative), which allows the customer to round up their bill to the closest whole dollar.
It goes into a pot, and we partner with Kenergy to assist individuals who are Kenergy clients to pay those bills. Those customers are eligible for $200 in assistance per year.
Through the CARES Act, Daviess County also has money to put toward some housing and rental assistance. Harley said the money can be used “to help individuals and families alleviate the barriers that interfere with their life, whether it be utility assistance problems, lack of rent, mobility, transportation, food, clothing, etc.”
Harley said they also have some food assistance programs.
“Audubon Area does have a bevy of human services funding programs to help offset many of the issues that folks are facing,” Harley said. “COVID has been difficult for families and folks all throughout the region.”
