Winter heating assistance for residents who are without heat or threatened with disconnection is now making a difference in Lorain County.

Winter Crisis applicants must be living at or below 175% of the federal poverty line. Crisis appointments can be scheduled at lccaa.secure.force.com/appointments for the following reasons:

• Heat has been disconnected;
• A disconnection notice has been received;
• You need to establish new service;
• You need to pay to transfer service;
• Bulk fuel users have less than a 10-day supply of wood, coal, pellets, propane or oil;
• Defaulted on PIPP payments.

These emergency situations qualify for an appointment with LCCAA staff, which will be conducted over the phone.

Those with a pending disconnection notice must provide an account number during appointment scheduling to place a hold on the disconnection. The appointment must be at least 48 hours before the scheduled disconnection. Missing or rescheduling the appointment may result in disconnection.

In person services are offered in three different locations this season:

• Seniors can walk in at the Lorain County Office on Aging in Elyria at 534 Abbe Road South on Mondays and Wednesdays.
• Anyone can walk in at Second Baptist Church, 427 Chapman Lane, Elyria, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• Anyone can make an appointment to meet with an advocate at the Office on Aging’s Wellington location at 105 Maple St. on Fridays. Appointments will be required at that location. Call 440-731-2640.

Hours for the satellite locations are 8 to 11 a.m. and 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

A secure drop box is available at LCCAA at 936 Broadway Ave., Lorain for required documents. Drop boxes are also available at Second Baptist Church and the Wellington location.

Required documentation includes:

• Income information for all household members 18 years of age or older for the last 30 days. For a complete list of countable income, please visit our website.
• Any member reporting “no income” must complete a no income form;
• Social Security numbers for all household members;
• Proof of citizenship for all household members;
• Most recent electric and gas bills;

Maximum benefits for Winter Crisis are:

• $175 for regulated gas and electric utilities
• $750 for unregulated gas and electric utilities
• $1,200 for bulk fuel, propane, heating oil or kerosene
• $650 for coal or wood

The program can also fund up to $1,500 in heating unit repairs or replacements.

If you do not have a disconnect notice but need help paying your bill, you may be eligible for the Home Energy Assistance Program. Applications for that program are taken at energyhelp.ohio.gov. No appointment is needed.

If you have questions about an existing application, you can also call 440-245-1870 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to speak with a representative. The lobby reception window at 936 Broadway Ave. in Lorain is open for questions as well.

No documents are accepted at the window. A weather-tight, secure document drop box is stationed at the agency’s rear lobby entrance. The box is checked hourly. Documents can also be faxed to 440-457-0337.

The program runs through March 31, 2025.