HARRISBURG, Pa. – The federal government shutdown is delaying the start of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps lower-income Pennsylvanians heat their homes during the winter.
The state Department of Human Services says it has not yet received funding for the season, so it’s pushing the start of the program back one month to Dec. 3.
If the federal government does not reopen or funding is not released to states, Pennsylvania will be unable to begin the normal LIHEAP season until funding is received, DHS said in a notice on its website.
It directs anyone who needs immediate heating help to call 211 or visit pa-navigate.org/.