Ukrainian Federation of America

Financial Assistance-Low Income

 ELECTRIC BILL ASSISTANCE (CAP)

CAP (Customer Assistance Program) is a discounted residential rate for low-income customers within the PECO service territory. Up to 90 percent (90%) discount rate available for residential electric and gas customers.

ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible, monthly household income cannot exceed:

• $1,610  One person household
• $2,178  Two person household
• $2,745  Three person household
• $3,312  Four person household
• For each additional person in household add $567

If you think your household may qualify for CAP Rate please call 1-800-774-7040.

When you are on CAP Rate, you cannot be a customer of a competitive electric generation or natural gas supplier.

For more information go to: PECO Website Cap Rate page

 HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE (LIHEAP)

LIHEAP (Low-income Home Energy Assistance) is a Federal program that provides assistance to those who are having trouble paying their electric, natural gas, or other energy bills. Homeowners, renters, roomers, and subsidized housing tenants may be eligible.

ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY
Grants are based on household size and income, the type of fuel used and county of residence. To be eligible, household income cannot exceed 150 percent (150%) of the Federal poverty income guidelines, or:

• $19,320  One person household
• $26,130  Two person household
• $32,940  Three person household
• $39,750  Four person household
• For each additional person in household add $6,810

For more information go to: PECO Website LIHEAP page

 WATER REVENUE ASSISTANCE (WRAP)

WRAP (Water Revenue Assistance Program) offers assistance to low-income households that are having issues paying their monthly water and sewer bill.

ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY
To qualify for a Low Income Agreement, you must:

• Live in the property for which the application is being made
• Verify that your total household income is within Federal low income guidelines
• Submit Social Security numbers for each person who lives with you
• Provide evidence of all expenses such as utility bills, gas bills and rent or mortgage payments
• Provide or allow a current meter reading

For more information go to: Philadelphia Water Revenue Bureau Low Income Assistance web page

 UTILITY EMERGENCY SERVICES (UESF)

UESF (Utility Emergency Services Fund) is available only in Philadelphia. This fund helps families and individuals through rent, utility, security deposit, and mortgage assistance. Guidelines do apply for each different application for help.

For guidelines and more information go to: Utility Emergency Services Fund web page

 GAS BILL ASSISTANCE (CRP)

PGW CRP (Philadelphia Gas Works Customer Responsibility Program) offers assistance to low-income housing. Customers enrolled in CRP pay a monthly budget based on their household income and size. This provides more affordable payments and helps customers to maintain their gas service.

Customer Responsibilities for CRP:

• Pay CRP bills on time and in full
• Apply for LIHEAP and assign the grant to PGW (Grants will be credited to the customer's bill)
• Conserve energy.
• Accept free conservation, weatherization, and education services, if offered
• Notify PGW immediately if there are changes to household size or income
• Complete re-certification application each year

For more information go to: Philadelphia Gas Works Customer Responsibility Program web page

Financial Assistance-Government Assistance

 CHILD HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (CHIP)

The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides health coverage to nearly eight million children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but can't afford private coverage. Signed into law in 1997, CHIP provides federal matching funds to states to provide this coverage.

For guidelines and more information go to: Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) web page

 MEDICAID

Medicaid in the United States is a social health care program for families and individuals with low income and resources. The Health Insurance Association of America describes Medicaid as a "government insurance program for persons of all ages whose income and resources are insufficient to pay for health care." (America's Health Insurance Plans (HIAA), pg. 232).

Medicaid is the largest source of funding for medical and health-related services for people with low income in the United States. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments and managed by the states, with each state currently having broad leeway to determine who is eligible for its implementation of the program. States are not required to participate in the program, although all currently do. Medicaid recipients must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, and may include low-income adults, their children, and people with certain disabilities. Poverty alone does not necessarily qualify someone for Medicaid.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act significantly expanded both eligibility for and federal funding of Medicaid. Under the law as written, all U.S. citizens and legal residents with income up to 133% of the poverty line, including adults without dependent children, would qualify for coverage in any state that participated in the Medicaid program. However, the United States Supreme Court ruled in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius that states do not have to agree to this expansion in order to continue to receive previously established levels of Medicaid funding, and many states have chosen to continue with pre-ACA funding levels and eligibility standards.

For guidelines and more information go to: MEDICAID website

 WELFARE (COMPASS)

COMPASS is an online application for Pennsylvania to apply for health services and human services.

Eligibility varies depending on the type of coverage.

Benefits offered include:

• Health care coverage (CHIP, Medical Assistance, Health Insurance Marketplace)
• SecretPlan for Women
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps/ SNAP)
• Free or Reduced Price School Lunches
• Cash Assistance
• Child Care Works
• Home and Community Based Services
• Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

To apply or for more information about each service go to: Pennsylvania COMPASS Program web page

 PROPERTY TAX/RENT REBATE PROGRAM

The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.

The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975.

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program is one of five programs supported by the Pennsylvania Lottery. Since the program’s 1971 inception, older and disabled adults have received more than $5.6 billion in property tax and rent relief. The rebate program also receives funding from slots gaming.

In addition, the law gives the following relief to Seniors in most need:

• Seniors who live in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Scranton, where local wage/income tax rates are very high, will not benefit from a local tax shift to lower taxes on top of the reduction offered by the state funded property tax relief. To ensure that seniors in these communities receive significant property tax relief, each senior household with income under $30,000 has its property tax rebate increase by an additional 50 percent
• In addition, property tax rebates are increased by an additional 50 percent for senior households in the rest of state, so long as those households have incomes under $30,000 and pay more than 15 percent of income in property taxes

To apply or for more information about each service go to: Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program web page

Financial Assistance-Seniors

 WATER ASSISTANCE

Senior Citizens get a 25% Discount on Water and Sewer Bills.
To be eligible for the 25% Senior Citizen Discount Rate on your monthly water and sewer bill, you must:

• Be 65 years or older
• Live at the address listed on your application
• Have the water and sewer bill in your name
• Provide evidence of all expenses such as utility bills, gas bills and rent or mortgage payments
• Meet a yearly income requirement

Additionally, WRAP (Water Revenue Assistance Program) offers assistance to low-income households that are having issues paying their monthly water and sewer bill.

ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY
To qualify for a Low Income Agreement, you must:

• Live in the property for which the application is being made
• Verify that your total household income is within Federal low income guidelines
• Submit Social Security numbers for each person who lives with you
• Provide evidence of all expenses such as utility bills, gas bills and rent or mortgage payments
• Provide or allow a current meter reading

For more information go to: Philadelphia Water Revenue Bureau Low Income Assistance web page

 COMMUNITY SERVICES

Philadephia Corporation for Aging (PCA)

Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) is a private, non-profit organization serving as Philadelphia county’s Area Agency on Aging since 1973. One of the region’s largest non-profit organizations, PCA's mission is to improve the quality of life for older Philadelphians or people with disabilities and to assist them in achieving their maximum level of health, independence and productivity. Special consideration is given to those with the greatest social, economic, and health needs.

PCA carries out this mission through five major functions: planning; advocacy; program development; service coordination and delivery; and the accountable administration of public and private funds to contract with approximately 180 community organizations to deliver social and health care services to more than 100,000 consumers each year.

For more information go to: Philadelphia Corporation for Aging web site

 REFERENCES

The UFA can help refer, Ukrainians and others, to organizations offering help in the areas of Social Services, Humanitarian Aid, Health Care, Education, and Advocacy & Information. The UFA often itself can provide some of the Social Services, Humanitarian Aid, Health Care, Education, and Advocacy & Information using it's own array of staff, local community members and volunteers.