HEAP assistance continues through late April
Golden Living
New York’s 2021-22 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is open until Friday, April 29, or until funds are exhausted. Qualifying older adults who haven’t applied over the previous winter (2021-22) are encouraged to apply; the Office for the Aging (OFA) can help.
Eligibility and benefits are based on household size, household income and primary heating source. For a household of one, income must not exceed $2,729/month. For a household of two, that number is $3,569/month. Current and prospective clients can contact OFA’s HEAP division at 845-486-2553 or zserrano@dutchessny.gov to request an application and review their eligibility. They may also apply online via MyBenefits at www.mybenefits.ny.gov.
Clients who have already been approved for HEAP and who need additional assistance may apply for an “Emergency HEAP” benefit. There are currently two different Emergency Benefits open. Apply via a phone interview with an OFA HEAP examiner or contact the OFA to see if you might qualify for an Emergency Benefit in the future. Emergency HEAP has a resource limit and other qualifications different from regular HEAP.
HEAP’s Clean and Tune program is also still open. Clients may be eligible for a free furnace cleaning once every 12 months. Speak with an OFA HEAP expert to request information or an application.
Looking ahead to warmer weather, the HEAP Cooling Assistance benefit will open on Monday, May 2.
Centenarians, 70-year-plus couples
The year 2022 may become a record year for the number of centenarians and couples married 70 years or more honored in the OFA’s summer’s “Celebration of Aging” newsletter. There are already seven Dutchess County couples confirmed to have reached that milestone this year, and 10 individuals be celebrating their 100th birthday — plus one who turns 100 in October. At this rate, we may need two pages to honor all these outstanding feats of successful aging.
To nominate someone for one of these honors, contact OFA Outreach Coordinator Brian Jones at ofa@dutchessny.gov or at 845-486-2544 by Tuesday, May 10.
Golden Living is prepared by Dutchess County OFA Director Todd N. Tancredi; reach him at 845-486-2555, ofa@dutchessny.gov or via the OFA website at www.dutchessny.gov/aging.
