Heating help

Heating help

People needing help with home-heating costs can find it in Virginia. Find the links with this story on TimesDispatch.com. Keyword: Moneywise

The state's Fuel Assistance program helps low-income households offset some of the cost of heating their homes, and the Crisis Assistance program helps when Fuel Assistance and other resources don't meet the need. To apply for the energy assistance programs, contact your local Department of Social Services. The deadline is Nov. 13 to apply for aid from the Fuel Assistance program. The application period for the Crisis Assistance program starts Nov. 1 and runs through March 15. Go to http://www.dss.virginia.gov.

Dominion Resources Inc.'s EnergyShare is a fuel-assistance program of last resort for anyone facing financial hardships because of unemployment or family crisis. Payments go directly to energy vendors for any heating source: oil, gas, kerosene, wood and electricity. Funds are distributed through local social-services departments and nonprofit health and human-service agencies. For more information, call (888) 667-3000 or go to http://www.dom.com/about/community/energyshare.jsp.

The Weatherization Assistance program offered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development provides money to reduce the heating costs for low-income families. The program provides for such energy-saving measures as insulation, caulking and weather-stripping; repairing leaking duct systems; and repairing or replacing inefficient or unsafe heating systems. Weatherization assistance is available from local community-action agencies and nonprofit housing organizations. For more information, go to http://www.dhcd.virginia.gov.

Tax incentives also are available for energy-efficient improvements, with the federal government offering tax credits and Virginia offering tax rebates. Learn more on the Moneywise Blog on TimesDispatch.com. Keyword: Moneywise blog