Crosswalk announces start of Energy Assistance Program

PROTECTED CONTENT

If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.

Username

Password

Login

Lost your password?

Username and Password Help

Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.

Email

Submit

← Back

JEFFERSON COUNTY — Crosswalk Community Action Agency, headquartered in West Frankfort, will soon be administering the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for Jefferson, Franklin and Williamson Counties, according to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

LIHEAP provides financial assistance to eligible households to help pay a portion of their home energy services. The upcoming program will start on Oct. 1, 2025 and will run through Aug. 15, 2026, or until funding is exhausted, states a Crosswalk news release. Applications will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis.

“For all three of our counties, we hope and plan to take over 5,000 applications and obligate over $3 million,” said Crosswalk Energy Assistance Coordinator Kim Rutherford. “There’s a lot of people wanting and needing assistance, but we just can’t get to everyone at the same time. So if they’ll just be patient, they will schedule their appointment and wait on their phone call to do the application.”

There will be a priority group this program year. In October, only members of the priority group can apply, starting on Oct. 1. That group includes the elderly (age 60+), the disabled, households with children ages 5 and under, households that are disconnected, households moving into a new address that have a bad debt and households that are at or below 25% on a delivered fuel and can’t get a delivery on their own.

Then on Nov. 1, 2025, all other income eligible households can apply with open enrollment.

Crosswalk will be working “remotely” from its main office. On or after Sept. 17, 2025, Priority Group clients can go to the Crosswalk website at www.crosswalkcaa.com to schedule a phone appointment for LIHEAP Energy Assistance. This is for regular assistance only.

Those seeking assistance will need to have the following information when the intake worker calls — Social Security Numbers for all household members; or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN) for all household members. Those without an SSN or ITIN can still apply and Crosswalk will advise accordingly. You will also need to provide proof of gross income for all household members for the past 30-day period, starting with the date of application; a current heat and/or electric bill; and other documents may be needed as well based on your household situation, the news release states.

You will have several options available to submit your documentation to Crosswalk (email, fax, mail, or the Crosswalk drop box). This will be discussed when Crosswalk calls to do the actual application.

On or after Oct. 1, if you have been disconnected from your utility or if you are at or below 25% on a delivered fuel and can’t get a delivery on your own, you will need to call Crosswalk’s main office at (618) 937-3581, ext. 500, to do an emergency reconnection application.

The LIHEAP program has expanded eligibility this year. Households must be at or below 60% of the State Median Income to receive a benefit from LIHEAP.

Eligibility is based upon gross income for the past 30-day period, beginning with the date of application, and is $3,332 for a one-person household; $4,357 for two-person households; $5,382 for three-person households; and $6,407 for four-person households. Visit Crosswalkcaa.com to learn the income limits for households with five or more members.

For more information, contact the Crosswalk main office at (618) 937-3581, or visit the organization’s Facebook page.