| The Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) is funded through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Administration for Children and Families. The intent of the program is to provide low income households with financial assistance to meet their basic home energy needs.
LIHEAP funds can be expended on low income families for several different services. The major portion of the funds is used for heating assistance. The grantee also has the option to use their funds to provide cooling assistance, heating crisis assistance, cooling crisis assistance or other related energy crisis.
Since the 1970’s, Cherokee Nation has been administering home energy assistance programs funded through HHS and funds provided by the tribe. This program truly serves our most disadvantaged citizens and enables impoverished families to keep their homes warm in the winter and, in case of our elderly and disabled citizens, keep their homes cool in during Oklahoma’s hot summer months. Of the 2,866 Cherokee households served in 2011, 75% of all the services and benefits went to Tribal Elders and disabled and handicapped households.
In recent years, the U.S. Congress has significantly cut LIHEAP funding. Even when the program was funded at the maximum level allowed by law, it was only enough to serve 1 in 5 qualifying Americans. For 2012, Congress cut an additional 25% from LIHEAP and discontinued vital contingency funding.
Cherokee Nation asks you to stand with us in protecting our most vulnerable citizens. Please click the "Take Action" link to the right to contact your Senators and Representatives and urge them to restore funding to the LIHEAP program. |