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Ohio Development Services Agency and Miami Valley Community
- Published: November 5, 2020
Ohio Development Services Agency and Miami Valley Community
Action Partnership Help Ohioans Stay Warm this Winter
HEAP Winter Crisis Program Begins November 1
The Ohio Development Services Agency and Miami Valley Community Action Partnership (MVCAP) want to let
Ohioans know that assistance is available to help with their heating bills this winter. The Home Energy Assistance
Winter Crisis Program starts November 1 and helps income-eligible Ohioans pay their heating bills and can assist
with fuel tank placement, fuel tank testing, and furnace repair. The program will be open until March 31, 2021.
“As the pandemic continues into the winter, it is important that Ohioans are able to stay safe and warm in their
homes,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency. “The Winter Crisis Program
can ease the burdens of families. Ohioans who need help with their energy bills should visit energyhelp.ohio.
gov to learn more about the program.”
More than 2240 families in Montgomery, Greene, Darke, and Preble Counties were assisted through the Home
Energy Assistance Winter Crisis Program from November 1, 2019, to May 31, 2020.
The Winter Crisis Program assists low-income households that have been disconnected (or have a pending
disconnection notice), need to establish new service, need to pay to transfer service, have 25% (or less) of
bulk fuel supply remaining, or have a household member who was diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2020 to help
stay warm this winter.
Ohioans can visit http://www.energyhelp.ohio.gov to more information on the statewide program. To apply for
assistance in Montgomery, Greene, Darke, and Preble Counties, applicants should visit http://www.MiamiValleyCAP.
org. MVCAP team members will contact applicants to set up phone interviews. When an applicant submits
an online application, the applicant will receive an email notification confirming that MVCAP received the
application. For the fastest possible service, applicants should answer calls from our agency that might appear
as unfamiliar or unknown numbers and should return voicemails and emails from our agency promptly.
Eligible households can receive a payment for their main heating source and/or their secondary heating source
(electric). The program can also assist with fuel tank placement, fuel tank testing, and furnace repair. Ohioans
must have a gross income at or below 175% of the federal poverty guidelines to qualify for assistance. For a
family of four, the annual income must be at or below $45,850.
Applicants need scanned copies or photos of the following documentation to apply for the program:
• Proof of income for each household member
• Copies of most recent utility bills
• Proof of U.S. citizenship/legal residency for all household members
For more information about the features of the Winter Crisis Program locally and what is needed to apply, please
visit Miami Valley CommunityAction Partnership’s website at http://www.MiamiValleyCAP.org, or contact Keelie Gustin
at Keelie.Gustin@mvcap.com. To get in touch with the Ohio Department Services Agency, contact Todd Walker
at Todd.Walker@development.ohio.gov. Additional information can also be found at http://www.energyhelp.ohio.gov.
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