People needing financial assistance to pay the electric or heating bill are encouraged to apply NOW
BALTIMORE (Dec. 8, 2008) – Maryland’s energy assistance program is expected to provide help to approximately 102,400 households this year thanks to a large boost in federal funding. The state has received $110 million of federal funding for the Maryland Energy Assistance Program, a significant increase from the $35 million in federal funding for the last fiscal year.
“These are historically difficult times, and Maryland is not immune from the national economic downturn,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “Maryland’s working families are the cornerstone of our economy, but are also the most significantly impacted during an economic downturn. Maryland’s energy assistance programs are designed to ensure that eligible families are not left in the cold simply due to an inability to afford their energy bills.”
The Maryland Department of Human Resources administers the state energy assistance programs to help low-income Maryland citizens pay their heating bills, minimize heating crises, and make energy costs more affordable.
The state’s energy assistance program has increasingly served more households in Maryland. A total of 89,108 households received assistance during fiscal year 2006, while 93,175 households were served in fiscal year 2008. The department will serve a projected 102,472 households during this fiscal year.
A Maryland household of four earning up to $37,100, or a single person earning up to $18,200, is eligible to apply for the program. Households currently with energy service and those without service are each eligible to apply for the program. Applications are accepted from July through May. A turn-off notice is not necessary to apply for assistance.
Applications for energy assistance are available by visiting http://www.dhr.state.md.us/meap. Completed applications must be returned in person or by mail to the local county offices listed at http://www.dhr.state.md.us/meap/local.htm.
For an application to be complete, applicants must provide a photo identification, proof of residence, copies of social security cards for each member in the household, proof of total gross income for the last 30 days, the name of the home energy supplier and the account number, a copy of a utility bill and a copy of a rental lease if the property is rental.