WISCONSIN - October marks the official start of Wisconsin’s heating season. Even the diehards holding out for colder weather are eying their thermostat. And given this year’s inflation, many are eying it with dread.
October also marks the beginning of the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP), which provides help with heating bills for those who earn 60 percent of the state’s median income and below. That’s about $60,000 a year for a family of four.
Program workers started processing applications on September 15, according to Fred Naatz, director of Grant County Social Services. It’s too early to tell, he said, whether this year’s demand will outstrip that of years past.
The program is funded by a small service fee tacked onto everyone’s utility bill, half of which is used to fund the Focus on Energy program. When the fund runs dry, no further payments are made.
To apply in Grant County, call the Social Services Department at 608-723-2136 x1125. Applications will be conducted only by phone at this time. We will not be doing face to face or outreach sites around the county due to COVID.
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