Significant attention is being focused right now on federal grant dollars and how they are spent in our local communities.

One of the most critical federal programs for the people in our community is the federal Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, also known as “LIHEAP”.

More than 1,000 households in Yamhill County benefited during the past year from this program, which helps pay utility bills for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and families with young children who are low-income.

These payments help to keep their homes warm during winter, cool during the summer, and electricity available for appliances and life-sustaining medical equipment. As the local administrator for LIHEAP, Yamhill Community Action Partnership confirms eligibility, enrolls households in the program and pays the utility provider.

In many instances, financial assistance through LIHEAP makes a real difference, making it possible for residents to remain safe and comfortable in their home.

While LIHEAP is a vital program for many households, it only pays for very specific energy services, and many families YCAP helps have homes with ongoing health and safety hazards. In our experience, the elderly couple who needs assistance with a utility bill likely lives in an older, typically manufactured, home in need of other repairs not covered by energy assistance programs.

To address this unmet need, YCAP applied for an Oregon Health Authority Healthy Homes grant and was thrilled to be selected as a recipient for three-years of funding. We joined 33 other recipients from around the state selected for this critically important work.

As a result, we now will have resources to address hazards in the home that can threaten residents’ health. Healthy Home grant dollars can be used to remove mold, mildew and allergen triggers; implement measures to enhance ventilation; assist with pest management; and make structural and safety enhancements to improve accessibility, fire resistance and seismic resiliency.

YCAP expects to assist about 150 households over the three years of the grant. We encourage Yamhill County residents who are low-income to call 503-687-1480 to determine eligibility and to learn more.

We believe that everyone should be able to enjoy the health and security of home. YCAP is working to make that a reality for Yamhill County residents by identifying local, state, federal and private dollars and investing them into programs that make a lasting difference.

---

Amber Hansen-Moore is a Newberg resident and deputy director of YCAP. Find out more about the Yamhill County Community Action Partnership at yamhillcap.org