After helping over 8,500 households obtain heating assistance over the past two months, Big Sandy Area Community Action Program is preparing for the next stage of heating assistance.

Big Sandy ACAP will begin accepting applications Jan. 7 for the crisis component of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until March 31, or until funds are depleted.

The crisis portion of LIHEAP is intended to assist households experiencing heating emergencies.

Households are considered to be in a home heating crisis in any of the following circumstances:

• The household is within four days of running out of fuel if bulk fuel (coal, fuel oil, propane, kerosene, or wood) is the primary heating source.

• The household has received a disconnect notice if natural gas or electric is the heating source.

• The household’s home heating costs are included in the rent and the household has received an eviction notice for non-payment of rent.

To be eligible for Crisis assistance, households must verify their address, verify a heating crisis exists and meet federal income eligibility guidelines. Applicants also must apply in their county of residence.

In addition, applicants must present the following:

• Proof of household income for prior month;

• Birthdates for all household members;

• Social security card or official documentation with social security numbers for each member of household.

Big Sandy ACAP provided $1.3 million to 8,543 households in Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin and Pike counties during LIHEAP’s subsidy component.

“This year saw many people in the region lose their jobs – and their incomes,” noted BSACAP Executive Director James Michael Howell. “Without LIHEAP, many of these individuals wouldn’t have been able to heat their homes or keep their families warm.

“In addition to helping people in need, LIHEAP also put money into the local economy by directly paying fuel vendors.”

In Floyd County, applications for the LIHEAP crisis component will be accepted at Big Sandy ACAP’s local office, located at 60 Court Street, in Allen, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., beginning Jan. 7. The telephone number is (606) 874-3595.

In surrounding counties, applications will be taken at the following BSACAP service offices from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.:

Johnson County

230 Court Street

Paintsville, Ky.

606-789-6515

Magoffin County

131 S. Church Street

Salyersville, Ky.

606-349-2217

Martin County

387 E. Main Street

Inez, Ky.

606-298-3217

Pike County

478 Town Mountain Road

Pikeville, Ky.

606-432-2775