People who need help paying their heating bills this winter can apply for assistance from the North Carolina Low-Income Energy assistance Program (LIEAP) from Monday, November 2, 2009, through Friday, November 13, 2009. Eligible households will receive a check in the mail early in February 2010. Appointments for emergency assistance will begin Monday, November 16, 2009.

Wake County will accept applications for LIEAP at:

Swinburne Human Services Building

220 Swinburne St., Raleigh

Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

*Tuesday, November 10, 2009, and Thursday, November 12, 2009, hours

will be 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Southern Regional Center

130 N. Judd Parkway NE, Fuquay-Varina

Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Eastern Regional Center

1002 Dogwood Drive, Zebulon

Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Northern Regional Center

350 E. Holding Ave., Wake Forest

Monday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

*All offices will be closed on Wednesday, November 11, 2009, for Veteran's Day.

To be eligible for LIEAP, families must meet all of the following criteria:

· Household must be at or below 110 percent of poverty level, $2, 022 per month for a family of four

· Household must be responsible for heating bills

· Household assets cannot exceed $2,200

· Household must include a U.S. citizen or an eligible alien

Emergency Assistance

For those in need of emergency assistance with their winter heating bill, and whose income is at or below 150 percent of the poverty level, the Crisis Intervention Program provides emergency financial assistance.

Walk-in applications will begin Monday, November 16, 2009, on a first-come, first-served basis, for households facing same-day disconnection of services. Appointments will be available if service is within five days of disconnection. To make an appointment, call 212-7000 no earlier than Friday, November 13, 2009.

For more information, visit the Wake County Energy Assistance Program.