Energy assistance available for those who need help paying bills

INDIANAPOLIS -- Keely Beckner waited in line three hours to apply for winter heating assistance.\nBut by the time she reached the front of the line Monday at Community Action of Greater Indianapolis, it was too late to apply that day. She had to return Tuesday and wait again -- in a cold, steady rain this time -- for much-needed heating help.\n"It's never been this bad," said the 38-year-old Beckner, who needs kidney dialysis three times a week and missed Monday's appointment waiting for heating help.\nCommunity action agencies throughout Indiana began taking applications this week from the elderly, disabled and those in emergency situations who need help paying heating bills this winter.\nOther low-income households in need of help can begin applying Nov. 18.\nThe program, which is run through the federal government, serves households with incomes at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty level, which for a family of four is an annual income of about $22,625.\nThe average household benefit is roughly $250 for the entire heating season.\nIndiana is expected to receive $36 million to $43 million through the federal Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, said Dave Menzer, utility campaign organizer for the Citizens Action Coalition.\nWhatever the final figure is, it likely will not be enough to help all those in need, Menzer said.\n"It's a recurring problem every winter, and every winter the state runs out of funds," he said.\nBecause of the sluggish economy, more Hoosiers are expected to be in need of heating assistance this winter.\nAnd with natural gas prices projected to increase an average of 20 percent to 40 percent, money available for assistance programs will not stretch as far as in the past.\n"There's a lot of folks in trouble this year," said Bob Schmidt, executive director of ACTION, Inc. of Delaware County in Muncie, which serves Delaware and Grant counties. "The demand is very, very high this year. The working poor are just barely making it."\nSchmidt said many of those who have come to his agency this week are on the verge of having their service disconnected and need help.\nAlthough natural gas prices are increasing, the amount of money Schmidt's agency has to distribute does not rise with the costs.