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Snuggle Season, judging by the brisk air, has truly arrived, and with all those snuggles comes heating bills. The state has ramped up its Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, and started accepting heating-bill-assistance applications from individuals age 65 and over on Nov. 1. Applications from younger folks and families will be accepted starting Dec. 1. From a story in the Gwinnett Daily Post, here’s the eligibility info:

To be eligible, Jones said an applicant must be a U.S. citizen, must be responsible for paying the heating bill and the applicant (or the household) must not exceed certain income levels.

“Eligibility guidelines are based on 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and household size,” Jones said. “For example, the household size of one, the … gross income cannot exceed $15,315, a household of two cannot exceed $20,535 … for each additional person add $5,222.”

Applicants must show proof of income, Social Security numbers for each household member, proof of citizenship and a recent heating bill.

The state has put aside $22 million to assist residents this year and will continue to dole out cash as the applications roll in, officials told the Daily Post. The program offers one-month assistance and is not a free ride through the winter.

Partnership for Community Action, a local community-action agency, will handle the program for Gwinnett, DeKalb and Rockdale counties. Its number is (404) 929-2500. The Fulton Atlanta Community Action Authority will assist Fulton County. Call them at (404) 320-0166.

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Tags: Cold, Heating-Bill-Assistance, Snuggle-Season.