The Department of Humans Services is working hard to help Norfolk's citizens stay cool in 2008.

Listed below are programs to help service a variety of cooling needs.

The Cooling Assistance Program (Energy Assistance)

Cooling assistance can be used to assist families and individuals with: 

• payment of electric bills to operate cooling equipment
• payment of security deposits for electricity to operate cooling equipment
• repair of a central air conditioning system or heat pump
• purchase of a whole-house fan, including ceiling or attic fans
• the purchase and installation of one window unit air conditioner for households where there is no unit or where the unit must be replaced

The maximum gross monthly income to qualify for cooling assistance is $1,127 before taxes for a household of one and $2,297 before taxes for a family of four. 

Assistance is available to households that include a child or children under age six, a disabled individual, or an adult age 60 and over who meet income eligibility requirements.

Applications for this program will be accepted until Friday, August 15, 2008. To apply, visit the Norfolk Workforce Development Center or any Norfolk Department of Human Services Location. You may also call (757) 664-7550 for more information.

The EnergyShare Program - Cooling for Seniors

A partnership between Dominion Virginian Power and Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia / The Center for Aging is responsible for the operation of the EnergyShare: Cooling for Seniors Program.

Cooling for Seniors is an expansion of Dominion’s EnergyShare winter heating assistance program.  This pilot program will provide a maximum payment of $200 towards the electric bills of seniors (60+) who are income-eligible.

While EnergyShare has traditionally been a winter program to assist with heating bills, Cooling for Seniors is a summertime program to assist with cooling bills.

Qualifications include the following:

• Must have exhausted all other resources/programs/methods before applying

• Must be age 60 or older.

• Must be at 150% of the poverty level – income verification is based on household income, excluding dependent benefits.

• Maximum assistance is $200.

• No disconnection notice is necessary to apply for assistance.

To apply, contact Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia at (757) 461-9481.

Fan Care Program

Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia /The Center for Aging operates the Fan Care Program, an initiative to provide fans to qualifying senior residents from June 1 through September 30.

To be eligible, seniors must live in South Hampton Roads, be 60 years or older and have a signed self-declaration of a health/medical need for a fan. Seniors’ income must be $1,225 monthly for one person; $1,650 for two people; $2,075 for three people; $2,500 for four people (as determined by the Virginia Department of Health). Proof of income, such as a bank statement, Social Security letter or other written verification, is required.

Senior Services will accept applications by phone June 1 - Sept. 30. Allowances will be made for persons exceeding the income guidelines, but having many medical needs for which they are responsible. Once a fan is placed in a home, the owner may keep it, signing a receipt.

To apply, contact Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia at (757) 461-9481.