Residents in need of winter heating assistance have until March 31 to apply for help through the Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) Winter Crisis Program. 

The Winter Crisis Program is available now through March 31 to provide utility bill assistance for electric and heating bills for residents of Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca, and Wood County. The program can help to avoid a utility shut-off, reconnect a utility, or provide bulk fuel supplies such as propane, wood, and fuel oil for households with less than a 25% bulk fuel supply. 

Residents must be at or below 175 percent of federal poverty guidelines (e.g. $2,196.25 monthly income/household of one; $4,550 monthly income/household of four) to be eligible for assistance and for household sizes of 8 or more that are 60% of state median income. Applicants must also provide a list of all household members, including social security numbers and birthdates; proof of citizenship for all household members; proof of income for all household members for the previous 30 days or 12 months; and copies of recent utility bills. 

Scheduling and details regarding the Winter Crisis Program are available at www.glcap.org/utilityhelp or by calling 419-273-4212.