Town Hall to Discuss Heating Assistance Funding

(Crystal A. Proxmire, 12/08/2011)

State Rep Ellen Cogen Lipton will be hosting a town hall meeting to discuss changes to home heating assistance programs on Friday, Dec. 9 at 1 p.m. at the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA) in Ferndale. She and Congressman Sander Levin (D-Royal Oak) and Gilda Jacobs, President and CEO of the Michigan League for Human Services will be on hand to talk about these programs and proposed changes at the State level that will affect funding.

According to a press release from Lipton’s office, the Low-Income and Energy Efficiency Fund (LIEEF) is facing elimination and at the federal level, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is at risk for severe cuts. Presentations explaining the crisis and possible solutions will be discussed. Area agencies who receive grant funding from these programs will also be in attendance to explain what this means for residents. Public attendance and input is encouraged.

The OLHSA South Office is located at 345 E. Nine Mile Road.  OLHSA has many resources for low-income families, including a food pantry, assistance for seniors, heating help and more.  Learn more about OLHSA at http://www.olhsa.org/about-olhsa.

To learn more about LIEEF, go to http://www.michigan.gov/mpsc/0,1607,7-159-52493-79463–,00.html

For more on LIHEAP, go to http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/