MONTGOMERY – Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday awarded $46.6 million in grants to assist low-income families in Alabama with energy bills. The grants, issued to 21 community service agencies throughout the state, provide emergency funds to help low-income families heat their houses this winter. Community Action Partnership of North Alabama Inc. which serves Cullman, Lawrence and Morgan Counties, received $2.3 million.
“During the winter, many low-income families are forced to choose between staying warm in their houses or having food on their table and required prescriptions in their medicine cabinets,” Ivey said. “These grants mean that many elderly, disabled, and families with children do not have to make those choices. I am pleased to provide this assistance to help those most in need.”
The state is distributing the funds through its Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps eligible low-income households afford the energy required to heat their houses. Residents apply for assistance to local community service agencies who determine eligibility based on income, family size and available resources.
Ivey awarded the grants from funds provided to the state by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants.
ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, infrastructure upgrades, recreation, energy, water resources, job training and career development.
“Gov. Ivey understands the critical nature of these funds in helping qualified families heat their homes during the cold weather,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA is pleased to join with the governor to make these funds available as we enter what are typically the coldest months of the year in our state.”
Below is a list of the community service agencies receiving grants, their service areas and grant amounts:
- Community Action Partnership of Huntsville/Madison and Limestone Counties Inc. (Madison and Limestone) – $2.77 million
- Community Action Agency of Northeast Alabama Inc. (Blount, Cherokee, DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall and St. Clair) – $3.64 million
- Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama Inc. (Colbert, Franklin and Lauderdale) – $1.25 million
- Community Action Partnership of North Alabama Inc. (Cullman, Lawrence and Morgan) – $2.3 million
- Marion-Winston Counties Community Action Committee Inc. (Marion and Winston) – $708,340
- Community Action of Etowah County Inc. (Etowah) – $1.06 million
- Community Action Agency of Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Calhoun and Cleburne Counties (Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph and Talladega) – $2.05 million
- Walker County Community Action Agency Inc. (Walker) – $782,250
- Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity (Jefferson) – $4.57 million
- Community Services Programs of West Alabama Inc. (Bibb, Choctaw, Dallas, Fayette, Greene, Lamar, Perry, Sumter and Tuscaloosa) – $5.45 million
- Pickens County Community Action Committee and Community Development Corp. Inc. (Pickens) – $366,450
- Community Action Partnership of Middle Alabama Inc. (Autauga, Chilton, Elmore and Shelby)- $2.15 million
- Hale Empowerment and Revitalization Organization Inc. (Hale) – $430,140
- Community Action Committee Inc. of Chambers-Tallapoosa-Coosa (Chambers, Coosa and Tallapoosa) – $1.05 million
- Alabama Council on Human Relations Inc. (Lee) – $1.29 million
- Macon-Russell Community Action Agency Inc. (Macon and Russell) – $1.06 million
- Montgomery Community Action Agency (Montgomery) – $2.51 million
- Organized Community Action Program Inc. (Bullock, Butler, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Lowndes and Pike) – $2.88 million
- Southeast Alabama Community Action Partnership Inc. (Barbour, Coffee, Geneva, Henry and Houston) – $2.37 million
- Community Action Agency of South Alabama Inc. (Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Marengo, Monroe and Wilcox) – $3.1 million
- Mobile Community Action Inc. (Mobile and Washington) – $4.82 million
