Program helps low-income houses stay cool

Despite the summer heat, residents of Brown, Owen, Morgan and Monroe counties are staying cool this season with the help of the Summer Cooling Assistance Program. Run by South Central Community Action, Summer Cooling is also part of the Energy Assistance Program, which strives to offset the high cost of heating in the winter and cooling in the summer.\nSummer Cooling, which began June 1, will run through Sept. 30. The goal is to provide low-income households with box fans or a $50 credit on their electric bill. In extreme medical cases, Summer Cooling might also include the purchase of an air conditioner. Last year, the cooling program helped more than 1,600 households, EAP coordinator Christine Combs said.\n"The households that receive extra benefits are what we consider 'at-risk,'" Combs said. "They usually include the elderly, disabled or families with children under six years old." \nEAP serves income-eligible households by providing a direct payment to their utilities each season. In order to meet the criteria, a client's income must be at or below 125 percent of the poverty level set by the federal government. The program is funded through dollars received from the Federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.\n"A lot of households that sign up come in with disconnect notices," Combs said. "We try to do the best we can with what we have."\nEAP state specialist Tom Scott said the need for services dictates the future of these programs.\n"The programs allow us to help with the stability of families and allow them to get through potentially dangerous situations," Scott said.\nScott said the Summer Cooling program was started in conjunction with the WRTV-Indianapolis fan club program, which requests donations of money or fans from Indiana residents.\n"In a sense, we developed our program to enhance the fan club," Scott said. "The donations they receive are distributed to action agencies around Indiana for the EAP programs."\nSouth Central Community Action Program is a non-profit organization designated by the Indiana Department of Human Services as the Community Action Agency for Monroe, Morgan, Owen and Brown counties. Since 1965, the purpose of SCCAP has been to reduce the extent and impact of poverty in this service area.\n"In light of the current economic situation, many people do not have the money to go out and purchase items for comfort," Combs said. "Some households have small children but can't afford to run their air conditioner. The program aims to help these people."\nThe EAP also coordinates a summer fill program which assists clients who use bulk fuel such as oil, propane and kerosene to heat their homes. The fuel can be saved until winter when the family will need it more. Because the price of fuel is generally lower in the summer months, the program enables clients to purchase fuel at a discount price.\nSally Carter, Owen County coordinator for the program, said that in one week the summer fill program has already served 46 households. Last year, Owen County provided services to 175 households in the same program.\n"The program gives our clients the opportunity to get their regular heating benefits at a much cheaper rate than November when the prices are high," Carter said.\nScott said because low income households pay 15 to 20 percent of their income to utility bills, the EAP program aims to correct this imbalance.\n"We want to keep everyone comfortable," Scott said. "Because of the popularity of the programs, our funding might even double next year."\nHoosiers wanting to apply for assistance should contact the community action agency in their county or apply online at www.state.in.us/fssa.