Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a program to assist low income households, particularly those with the lowest income that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy, primarily in meeting their immediate home energy needs. In the meanwhile, here are some home energy tips.
LIHEAP has two (2) components:
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Energy Assistance – One time a year assistance to help pay primary fuel source heating bills. The benefit amount is based upon household size, income and the type of fuel used for home heating.
- Program starts on November 1st for households that have a member that is 60 years of age or older and/or is disabled; for all other households the program starts on December 1st. The program ends on March 31st.
- One time per year assistance on your primary heat source.
- The primary heat source is the source of energy that the existing permanently installed heating system uses to heat the home.
- If you have a central heating unit you may have two sources, the one that heats the air and then electric to blow the air through the house. The one that heats the air is the primary source.
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Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) – designed to provide financial assistance to households in a verifiable energy crisis. It is primarily used to restore or prevent disconnection of service for at least thirty (30) days.
Winter ECIP Season
- Program starts on November 1st for households that have a member that is 60 years of age or older and/or is disabled; for all other households the program starts on December 1st.
- Program ends when program funds are exhausted.
- Must be in a crisis with your primary and/or secondary energy source.
- What constitutes a crisis?
- Shut off/Disconnect notice, or
- Terminated service, or
- No service but you have an old bill that must be paid to get service turned on, or
- Low or no propane, kerosene, fuel oil, or firewood.
- Can assist homeowners repair/replace heating unit.
- What constitutes a crisis?
Summer ECIP Season
- Program starts on June 1st and ends when program funds are exhausted.
- Must be in a crisis with your electric service.
- What constitutes a crisis?
- Shut off/Disconnect notice, or
- Terminated Service, or
- No service but you have an old bill that must be paid to get service turned on.
- Can assist homeowners with the cost of the repair/replacement of central air unit.
- What constitutes a crisis?
Income Guideline
In order for a household to be eligible to receive assistance from this program the household must be at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Level.
If you received Energy Assistance last winter an application will be mailed to you.
You may submit your application and documentation the following ways:
1) Mail to ESC, PO Box 207, Joplin, MO 64802
2) Fax to (417) 781-2011
3) Visiting one of our Outreach offices at the following locations:
- 816 A West 12th Street., Lamar 417-682-5591
- 116 N Jefferson St., Neosho 417-451-2206
- 712 S Hwy 59, Anderson 417-845-6011
- 302 S Joplin, Joplin 417-781-0352
If you did not receive assistance last winter and would like to apply, you can download an application, filling in all information, signing it, and then mailing it and all required documentation to: ESC, PO BOX 207, JOPLIN, MO 64802
To download the application, click here: Missouri's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Application
Check the status of your application. Call this toll free number:
1-866-923-2483
The status of your application will not be available until after the prgorams NEW START DATES.
Red Tag Equipment Repair Program
The Red Tag Equipment Repair Program helps income-qualified residential customers secure service work on natural gas appliances and piping, in order to maintain or restore has heating to their home.
The Red Tag program provides payment assistance toward the total cost of qualifying repairs, up to $450 per customer per year, as long as funds are available.
Qualified repairs include those conducted on the furnace or boiler to provide heating to the home. This may include work performed on gas piping or other gas appliances (such as water heaters or stoves), but only where the repair is necessary to allow safe delivery of gas service from the meter to the furnace or boiler.
Who is Eligible?
Laclede Gas Company aka Missouri Gas Energy residential customers who meet all of the following qualifications:
- Own their residence and gas appliances.
- Need equipment repairs or piping in order to obtain or restore natural gas heating service.
- Have a household income equal to or less than 185% of the federal poverty level. For example, the 2016 poverty level for a family of 4 is $24,300. Families with a household income of $44,955 or less would be eligible in this case.
How to Apply?
Visit one of our Outreach offices at the following locations:
- 816A W 12th St, Lamar
- 116 N Jefferson St, Neosho
- 712 S Hwy 59, Anderson
- 302 S Joplin Ave, Joplin
Laclede Dollar-Help Program
The Dollar-Help program is designed to help low-income households maintain their primary source of home heat to help them stay warm in the winter.
- Primary source of home heat is the existing system as designed and permanently installed to provide the central source of heating to the home.
The household must apply and be qualified for LIHEAP (Missouri's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program).
The household must be in a crisis with their primary source of home heat. A crisis exists when the service is terminated or in threat of being terminated.
How to Apply?
If you have already received LIHEAP (Energy Assistance) at your current address, you can:
1) Mail to ESC, PO Box 207, Joplin, MO 64802
2) Fax your bill to (417) 781-2011
3) Call one of the Joplin EA Team:
Kelli (417) 627-2081 Courtnie (417) 627-2074 Mia (417) 627-2084
If you have not applied for or been qualified for LIHEAP at your current address, you will need to visit one of our Outreach offices.
- 816A W 12th St, Lamar
- 116 N Jefferson St, Neosho
- 712 S Hwy 59, Anderson
- 302 S Joplin Ave, Joplin