IL urges low-income households to take advantage of Energy Assistance Program

Information provided by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

CHICAGO, Ill. (March 8, 2021) – The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) joined the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) in announcing upcoming events to help more Illinois utility customers who are struggling with the cost of utility bills during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The State of Illinois recently implemented a major expansion of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which, combined with other household relief funding available, has created the $275 million Help for Illinois Families program to assist those impacted most by COVID-19. With over $100 million in funding still available through this program, the State of Illinois is urging residents eligible for the program to take advantage and apply for Help for Illinois Families assistance today.

Application virtual events

The State and CUB are teaming up to host two free virtual events, in English and Spanish, to assist residents with applying for or learning about the programs. These events will provide an overview of the program, as well as a live question and answer session allowing residents to get their questions answered in real-time.

• March 11 at 6:00 p.m. – English, Registration:  https://tinyurl.com/DCEO0311
  or on Facebook live: Facebook.com/CUBIllinois
• March 15 at 6:00 p.m. – Spanish, Registration: http://bit.ly/FBliveDCEO-CUBSPA or on Facebook live: http://facebook.com/cubespanol

The State of Illinois and partners at CUB are urging residents to take advantage of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds before the moratorium on utility shut-offs is set to end on March 31. In addition to utility billing relief, the Help for Illinois Families Initiative includes emergency assistance for rent, temporary shelter and other necessities. To make applying for these funds easy and accessible remotely, DCEO has taken steps to streamline the process, launching a new remote application, streamlined website, and expanded technical assistance available now in over 30 languages through the hotline 1-833-711-0374.

For more information on how to apply and to find out about relief programs available near you, visit www.helpillinoisfamilies.com.