A quarter of households in the Philadelphia tri-state area couldn’t pay for their energy bills over the last year, according to a Census survey. That is higher than the national average where it’s one in five households and it’s why assistance programs are important. Residents who either rent or own a home and meet the program’s income requirements can get $1000 cash if they apply for hardship funds like the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LI-HEAP. Those who receive the grant money from this program don’t have to pay it back. As temperatures start to fall, keeping homes warm can be very expensive. One woman from North Philadelphia, Crystal Hardman, said that every winter she is able to turn the heat on and it’s because of LI-HEAP. “I got a big house,” Hardman explained. “I can’t do it by myself. I mean, I can do it by myself now because I’m on the program and it still hard—struggling. But I can make it. I’m making it, thank the Lord. That’s all I can say.” LI-HEAP makes cash grants available to people dealing with heating emergencies during colder months. On Tuesday, Nov. 12, multiple assistance programs hosted a LI-HEAP day at the Esperanza Arts Center in North Philly to help residents apply in person. According to the U.S. Census, three out of 10 people in the Philadelphia, Camden and Wilmington metro area report that they cut spending on basic necessities like food and medicine so they can cover their energy bills. “It’s helping students, it’s helping seniors, it’s helping households that need to stay warm this winter,” Traceyh Mathis, of Energy Coordinating Agency, said. Income requirements for LI-HEAP are that a household of one earns less than $23,000 each year. For two in the household, the income has to be less than $31,000. If an applicant is eligible, the money is distributed within 10 business days. “Go on out there and apply. Don’t be sitting around in your house no heat,” Hardman tells her fellow Philadelphians. Applications are open until the money runs out of the program ends on April 4, 2025. LI-HEAP is not just for Philadelphia. If you live anywhere in Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Delaware, there are other assistance programs available. For assistance in Pennsylvania, click here. For assistance in New Jersey, click here. For assistance in Delaware, click here. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.