KNWA FOX24

Company provides low-income home energy assistance program

SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Many Northwest Arkansas residents are struggling to keep their lights on after months of utility increases.

To provide Northwest Arkansas residents with a sense of relief, non-profits like Economic Opportunity Agency in Springdale have established programs to help those in need.

“Through our low-income home energy assistance program, we can at least help families with some of their energy bills,” Delia Anderson Farmer, Executive Director of the Economic Opportunity Agency said.

Farmer says it’s been a busy year for the agency.

“Early January was super busy with people that had high bills because energy costs have increased and people are having difficulty,” Delia Anderson Farmer said.

Farmer said the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is funded by the Federal government here to offer winter and summer utility costs.

“There is even an application online that people can fill out and it also lists the documents that we will need, and also there’s an income eligibility chart because with this program is based on income,” Farmer said.

Farmer says the agency does not cover a person’s energy bill the entire winter, only once or even twice depending on the circumstances.

“If somebody is in a crisis situation and they are about to be disconnected, then they can potentially get help from us again,” Farmer said.

Northwest Arkansas mom Antonia Cornier applied for the energy assistance program, which changed her life.

“It’s a blessing for me. It’s a prayer answered because, you know, like, to have a program like this, it’s rare and especially because it’s a nonprofit,” Cornier said.

Cornier said she is a mother of three kids and as her utility bill increases, it’s been hard to make ends meet.

“For me, you know, in like emergency situations where you need it the most. It’s like you come to a place like this and there’s so, like, they’re able to help you right then and there,” Cornier said.

Not only did Cornier receive the help she was looking for, but she was also offered a job at EOA.

“That’s what EOA is here for, to help other families and not just for low income, but other families that, like even single mothers like me need the help but don’t know where to turn to,” Cornier said.

Farmer says the program receives a considerable amount of money from Washington County to assist individuals and families and would like to help more before the deadline in April.

“Our allocation for energy assistance, for just the winter, was almost $900,000. We have expended nearly $600,000 already, and we still have another month of the program to go. We’ve helped nearly 2400 households so far, helping people to stay warm this winter,” Farmer said.