The Associated Press
NASHVILLE - Individuals who have received help from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program since last July must wait until Oct. 1 to reapply for benefits.
This is because the funds are now being awarded annually to coincide with the federal fiscal year moving from July 1 to Oct. 1.
Officials with local agencies that disperse the funds, however, said the date alignment likely won't have much effect on people receiving the assistance,
Ron Swafford, executive director of Chattanooga Human Services, said it's more of a money flow issue from the state to the local agencies. The agency Swafford heads helped nearly 14,000 individuals in about 6,500 households in the current fiscal year.
Gloria Williams, coordinator of the program for the Delta Human Resources Agency in Covington, said she sees little change from the clients' point of view.
The agency makes one-time payments to aid people in paying utility bills, ranging from $300 to $600. Clients can be aided just once in a fiscal year with the money being paid directly to the utility.
Lisa Elam, director of adult and family services contracts for the Tennessee Department of Human Services, said the change to an Oct. 1 funding year was made by state officials because their funding from the federal government and reporting to federal officials is required on the federal fiscal year schedule.
"It makes more sense," Elam said Wednesday.