MVCAP’s Summer Crisis program provides eligible households with a one-time benefit to assist with electric bills, central air conditioning repairs and air conditioning unit and/or fan purchases.
The organization provided $322,113 in bill payment assistance last year, which was $68,000 more than in 2023 and $140,500 more than in 2022. Additionally, the organization distributed 179 window air conditioners and 616 fans.
The substantial increase is likely a result of multiple factors, said President and CEO Erin Jeffries, including more people being aware of and taking advantage of the program, in addition to there simply being more need.
“When you look at the state of Ohio as a whole, we know from research that the National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition has put together that only one in five eligible Ohioans take advantage of the Home Energy assistance programs. Summer Crisis is one of those programs,” she said.
Despite the heat Ohio is experiencing this June, it’s unclear whether 2025 will break more records, but not because the need has necessarily gone away, Jeffries said.
“We know that the need in the state outpaces the financial resources the state has to allocate to these problems, so that’s a big part of it,” she said. “But then you look at factors like...it’s hot a lot sooner in the summer than it usually is. So I expect when we open applications on July 1st, I think we’ll have a line at the door.”
New this year are changes to the state portal for applicants. Online applicants now require an OHID.
OHID, or Ohio Digital Identity, is an online account that allows Ohioans to access multiple state agency websites and applications with a single username and password, according to the state. The goal is to streamline interactions with various Ohio government services.
Several other state services now require an OHID as part of a broader move to simplify application processes for both state employees and benefits recipients, a problem that has plagued poverty-fighting agencies for years, Jeffries said.
“There’s been a push to make that more uniform,” Jeffries said.
Additionally, the state is rolling back expanded eligibility requirements that were introduced post-COVID.
For example, if customers had missed a payment on their Percentage of Income Payment Plan (or PIPP) ― which is a payment arrangement to help eligible electric and natural gas customers pay their utility bills ― they then qualified for the Summer Crisis program during and immediately after the pandemic.
That qualifying factor of a missed PIPP payment, however, is going away.
“I think that’s going to exclude some people from the eligibility, so that may change our figures,” Jeffries said.
The primary qualification for the Summer Crisis program is a gross annual income at or below 175% of the Federal Poverty Line, as well as being 60 or older, having a qualifying medical condition or having received a disconnect notice.
Residents of Darke, Greene, Montgomery and Preble counties can also apply via an appointment at any of MVCAP’s four offices. Phone numbers and locations for each can be found at miamivalleycap.org.
Required documentation includes income information for all adult household members for the last 30 days, proof of citizenship for all household members, the most recent electric and gas bills and proof of a medical condition if applicable. Any member reporting “no income” must complete a no income form and additional documentation may be requested, according to the organization.
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