April 18, 2011 -- The New Mexico Human Services Department, the LIHEAP grantee, says it will provide extra assistance to low-income families for winter heating costs, including natural gas, electricity, propane and firewood.
The agency will pay supplemental benefits from $18 to $126 for nearly 55,000 families who've already qualified for LIHEAP. Those households have received benefits averaging $121.
The state can make the extra payments because it got additional LIHEAP funding as a result of another release of funds. About $21 million has been allocated to New Mexico as of the end of March.
The department encouraged low-income families to apply for the energy assistance if they haven't already submitted an application. Households can qualify if they have incomes at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level, which is $2,289 a month for a family of three.
Source: Farmington Daily Times
