Illinois Project NOW Provides Record Amount Of Community Aid
Project NOW’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (known as LIHEAP) provides utility assistance to residents living in Rock Island, Mercer, and Henry Counties. The program is funded through the state, and it provides one-time payments, a percentage of income payments, reconnection assistance, and emergency furnace assistance for those at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
Project NOW’s Executive Director, Dwight Ford, says this past year the agency served more people in the LIHEAP program than ever before. The Rock Island based not-for-profit processed 6,520 applications which generated nearly 7.1 million dollars in relief to the clients. The average payout for customer was $593.00. Ford is pleased Project NOW was able to offer support and resources during this difficult season following COVID.
“During this difficult time in America, when prices for the most basic of goods and services are skyrocketing, we are pleased to have made such a financial investment to lighten the weight and load that so many families are still carrying.”
During the 2021 program year Project NOW provided five million dollars in energy assistance. Ford expects next year to serve even more customers with increased gas prices and inflation. The LIHEAP program will start back up again September first.
