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Contact Information:
Marshall Plaza Building
900 E. Marshall Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: 804-646-7212
Email Us:
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Programs
Energy Assistance - Fuel, Crisis and Cooling
The Energy Assistance Program assists low-income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy. The program consists of three components: Fuel Assistance, Crisis Assistance and Cooling Assistance.
Fuel Assistance
The Fuel Assistance component helps eligible households with the costs of heating their homes. To be eligible for fuel assistance, there are certain income guidelines, resource maximums and living arrangements that must be met. The household must also be responsible for paying the heating bill. Fuel Assistance applications are accepted from the second Tuesday in October through the second Friday in November at the Department of Social Services. Fuel Assistance applications are processed as soon as possible, and applicants should expect notification of their eligibility determination by mid-December.
Crisis Assistance
The Crisis Assistance component helps eligible households in emergency energy situations, which cannot be met by Fuel Assistance or other resources. Types of crisis assistance may include: payment of primary heat source, security deposit (one time only); purchase of portable space heater; purchase of primary home heating fuel; payment for emergency shelter; payment of primary heat utility bill; repair of heating equipment; replacement of heating equipment; and/or provision of supplemental heating equipment/maintenance. To be eligible for crisis assistance, fuel eligibility criteria must be met, and there must be a heating emergency. Crisis Assistance applications are accepted from November 1 through March 15 at the Department of Social Services. All crisis assistance is based on availability of funds.
Cooling Assistance
Applications for Cooling Assistance are accepted at the Department of Social Services from June 15 through August 15 to help eligible households with their cooling needs. To be eligible for any type of Cooling Assistance, fuel eligibility criteria must be met, the household must contain at least one vulnerable person and there must be a cooling need. The following types of assistance are available if eligibility conditions are met: purchase of a portable or installed fan, purchase and installation of an air conditioner, payment of an electric utility security deposit, or payment of the electric bill to operate the cooling equipment.
For information on any energy assistance program, please call (804) 646-7212
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