Crisis Assistance

FPL ASSIST Program | LIHEAP program | EHEAEP program | FEMA program | FPL Care To Share Program | When to contact FPL for assistance | Other assistance resources

Serious financial problems resulting from hardships such as loss of a job, illness or an accident can strike a family or individual at any time and make it very difficult or impossible for a family to pay bills. Through a partnership between FPL and community agencies, eligible customers can receive energy assistance funding.

FPL ASSIST Program

FPL's ASSIST Program encompasses a vast network of social service organizations located throughout our service territory. For more information on some of the energy assistance programs that are offered in FPL's service area, including agency names and phone numbers for your city or county, click on the links below:

Some of the energy assistance programs that are offered in FPL's service area include:

• LIHEAP - Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
• EHEAEP - Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program
• FEMA/EFSP - Federal Emergency Management Agency - Emergency Food and Shelter Program (individual assistance)
• FPL Care To Share - FPL's sponsored emergency assistance fund.

For preliminary eligibility requirements by program, please review the Eligibility Criteria matrix

LIHEAP Program

LIHEAP Advocacy Fact Sheet - November 2006

Annually, the state of Florida receives funding from the federal government to help low-income people pay their utility bills. The program that provides this funding is called the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP funds are distributed through community-based agencies working throughout Florida. Florida Power & Light works closely with both state and local agencies and organizations in the administration of LIHEAP and other such funds, as part of our ASSIST Program.

Show your support for increased LIHEAP funding by visiting www.SupportLIHEAP.org. This website provides a quick and easy way for you to contact your U.S. Senators and your House representative, urging them to support LIHEAP funding increases.

To be eligible to receive help, your household's income may not exceed 150 percent of the poverty guidelines. If your household's income is greater than this amount, you may still be eligible, because some types of income are not counted.

To find out where to apply for the funds, please visit the state of Florida 's Department of Community Affairs Web site, and then click on the link for the Community Assistance Local Programs & Contacts List. Locate your county on the list. The contact agency providing assistance in paying utility bills is listed under “LIHEAP.”

When applying for assistance, you must provide proof, such as a utility bill, that you are responsible for all or part of the energy costs for the household. Other requirements are explained here.

Individuals interested in applying for LIHEAP assistance should contact their local/state LIHEAP agency. For more information, go to http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/ or http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/brochure.html

EHEAEP Program

The Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly program is available for financially eligible people, 60 years of age and older, who are experiencing an energy-related crisis.

A crisis may be an impending cut-off of utility services, lack of fuel or wood, a broken heating or cooling system, or an unusually hot or cold season energy expense. A recipient may receive financial assistance a maximum of twice a year — once during the heating season and again during the cooling season. Financial eligibility for this program is determined by a local community agency designated by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.

Individuals interested in applying for EHEAEP assistance should contact their local/state EHEAEP agency. For more information, call 1-800-963-5337, or visit the Listing of Florida EHEAEP Providers.

FEMA - Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)

FEMA's Emergency Food and Shelter Program was created by Congress to help meet the needs of hungry and homeless people throughout the United States and its territories by allocating federal funds for the provision of food and shelter.

Program funds are used to provide the following, as determined by the Local Board in funded jurisdictions:

• Food, in the form of served meals or groceries.
• Lodging in a mass shelter or hotel.
• One month's rent or mortgage payment.
• One month's utility bill.
• Minimal repairs to allow a mass feeding or sheltering facility to function during the program year.
• Equipment necessary to feed or shelter people, up to a $300 limit per item.

Click here for FEMA - EFSP locations and information by county.

FPL Care To Share Program

The FPL Care To Share Program is sponsored by FPL and is designed to provide emergency assistance funds to customers who are in a crisis situation and unable to pay their electric bill. All funds collected by FPL are given to these nonprofit organizations, which administer energy assistance funding, so all contributions go to the needy for energy assistance. The program is administered by:

• The Salvation Army and
• various county social service providers.

Florida Energy Affordability Coalition (FLEAC)

FPL is a proud co-founder of the Florida Energy Affordability Coalition (FLEAC). FLEAC brings together public, private and nonprofit sector organizations seeking to make energy more affordable for low-to-moderate income Floridians.

When to contact FPL for assistance

FPL encourages customers to call as soon as possible when they think they may not be able to pay their bill.

Other assistance resources

Other agencies and organizations may offer information and assistance, especially for seniors and low-income customers. Links to some such sources are provided below:

• Agency for Health Care Administration - Whether you are a consumer, health care provider, health care practitioner, or researcher, you will find important and useful material.
• American Association of Retired Persons - AARP is a nonprofit membership organization addressing the needs and interests of persons 50 and older, providing information, education, advocacy and service.
• American Society on Aging - ASA offers educational programs, publications and information and training resources targeting the elderly.
• AOL Government Guide - A guide for federal, state and local resources for your personal area. Government services made easy.
• Department of Elder Affairs - Florida's DOEA serves as the primary state agency responsible for administering human services programs for the elderly.
• Elder Helpline - Information regarding elder services is available through the Elder Helpline Information and Assistance service for each Florida county. All Elder Helplines can also be accessed through the Florida Telecommunication Relay System (1-800-955-8771 for TDD or 1-800-955-8770 for voice).
• Florida Association for Community Action, Inc. Services Directory - this directory is an excellent resource to search by county for available programs and resources.
• Florida Council on Aging (FCOA) is committed to serving Florida's diverse aging interests through education, information-sharing and advocacy. Visit their Web site to access a statewide network of resources on aging.
• Florida Housing Coalition provides information, training and technical assistance on affordable housing and related issues; supports community-based partnerships in leveraging available resources; and advocates for policy, programs and use of funding resources that maximize availability and improve quality of affordable housing in Florida.
• FloridaLawHelp.org serves the state with a Web site that is easy to navigate and contains the best, most up-to-date legal information for people with low incomes. It will help users find a legal aid or pro bono lawyer, learn about their rights and responsibilities, and locate courts, government agencies and other social services.
• Internal Revenue Service - Earned Income Tax Credit: The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal income tax credit for low-income workers who are eligible for and claim the credit. The credit reduces the amount of tax an individual owes, and may be returned in the form of a refund.
• Lifeline Program - The Lifeline Program is offered by telephone companies in Florida and throughout the nation. It is a program that pays a portion of a customer's monthly phone bill, depending on income and eligibility.
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) - LIHEAP provides grants to local governments and non-profit agencies to assist eligible low-income households in meeting the costs of home heating and cooling. The majority of the funds are used for utility payment assistance.
• Support LIHEAP - Send an email letter to your senators and congressional representatives, urging them to increase LIHEAP funding. It's quick (2 minutes or less) and easy (just fill in the blanks), and a very powerful way to let Congress know that you support increased funding for low-income energy assistance
• National Council on Aging - NCOA promotes the well-being of older persons through a wide variety of services and programs.
• NCOA Benefits Checkup Online - A free, easy-to-use service that identifies federal and state assistance programs for seniors. Helps older adults to quickly identify programs that may improve the quality of their lives.
• Older Floridians Handbook - This online booklet provides an easy reference guide for older Floridians, containing useful information on topics of interest to persons over 60 years old.
• Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE) - A statewide, volunteer based program offering free Medicare and health insurance education, counseling and assistance to Medicare customers and their families and caregivers.
• Social Security Administration

Read more about FPL’s Home Energy Assistance services.

Lea mas acerca del programa de FPL de Asistencia de Energía para Hogares

Read FPL's 2006 Customer Assistance Initiatives Report - Helping Those in Need

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