January 16: The Heating Energy Assistance Team (H.E.A.T.), Inc., an Atlanta- based nonprofit organization that provides energy assistance statewide to low-income Georgians, announced today that it has provided $1,020,649 to the Georgia Department of Human Resources, the state LIHEAP office, to assist qualified families who are unable to pay their heating bills.
"Georgia's low-income families live on extremely tight budgets; they often are forced to choose between buying food or medicine or heating their homes," said H.E.A.T. Board Chairman Chris Strippelhoff. "This donation will help reach the Georgia households in most need of emergency energy assistance this winter."
H.E.A.T. is a statewide fuel fund in operation for the past 25 years. For the 2007- 2008 winter, H.E.A.T. contributed more than $700,000 to help 2,854 households pay their energy bills. Applicants must have a household income no greater than 150 percent of federal poverty guidelines, the same as the state LIHEAP. They may apply at local community action agencies.
Private citizens and natural gas companies made the financial contributions to H.E.A.T. that resulted in the $1.02 million distribution. Georgia Natural Gas, SCANA Energy, AGL Resources, Gas South, MXenergy, Stream Energy, Infinite Energy, and Blossman Gas all participated. In addition, some of the funds were provided to H.E.A.T. by the Georgia Public Service Commission.
