The federal government has once again stepped forward to help needy Minnesotans heat their homes this winter by adding $46.5 million to the state's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
The $34.9 million additional allocation, released Tuesday, in addition to $11.6 million in emergency funds released Thursday, brings the state's total fiscal year 2010 allocation to $154.9 million.
LIHEAP is available to households that have 50 percent or less of the state's median income, or $41,722 for a family of four. The average household grant is $600.
Applications are up 10 percent statewide from this time last year, to more than 113,000, according to the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
Previously this year, county providers noted that much of the increase was due to growing numbers of newly unemployed or underemployed residents. Last year the program served 154,721 households with $118 million in allocations.
In Anoka County alone, 4,970 people have applied or have been approved.
"So many more people are applying this year than last year," said Anoka County Community Action Program's housing services director, Donna Mattson. Last month's 4,509 applications represented a 12 percent jump from the previous December, and more people continue to ask for help.
