Insufficient funding is leaving county residents in the cold

Starting this month, Cumberland County residents can access two programs that help pay their heating bills. 

The Low Income Energy Assistance Program and the Crisis Intervention Program are a lifeline to the county’s low-income households. But there are often more eligible applicants than the programs can assist, said Vivian Tookes, Cumberland County Department of Social Services economic services assistant director. 

“It’s considered a high-demand service, often resulting in situations where funds run out before all eligible applicants can be served,” she said.

With the county already facing temperatures below freezing and decreasing federal funding, the programs are struggling to match the community’s needs.

The Low Income Energy Assistance Program

December marks the annual start of the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, or LIEAP. LIEAP provides a one-time payment sent directly to a resident’s heating provider to cover the increased cost of heating a home in the winter. It is available December through March 31, or until funds are exhausted.

North Carolina allocates the federal funding for LIEAP and the Crisis Intervention Program to all 100 counties based on county poverty levels and the average number of residents receiving food and nutrition services. About 16% of Cumberland County residents live in poverty. Almost 17% of residents receive Supplemental Food and Nutrition Program benefits.

In the 2023–24 fiscal year, Cumberland County received about $3.16 million for LIEAP. The county had 9,366 residents benefit from LIEAP during that time, 2,329 of which were rolled over from the prior year. Cumberland County residents accounted for almost 7% of all North Carolinians served by the program that fiscal year.

“We have seen an increase in the number of individuals that will be applying for these programs,” Tookes said. “We use the money to the extent possible.”

Part of that increase stems from issues related to the economy and employment rates, Tookes explained. Inflation is still an issue, increasing month over month since October, according to reporting from The Financial Times. The North Carolina Department of Commerce reported Cumberland County had an average annual unemployment rate of 4.7% in 2023.

The increase in applications comes amid a decline in federal dollars. North Carolina’s federal funding for the LIEAP program was cut by almost $19 million between 2024 and 2025, decreasing the amount passed along to Cumberland County. This year, the county is only receiving about $2.15 million for LIEAP, a decrease of about $1 million. 

Despite the lower funds, LIEAP is already automatically paying heating suppliers for those who qualified for the program last year. Suppliers for households with an elderly person aged 60 and above or someone with a disability who receives services through the Division of Aging and Adult Services are also automatically seeing LIEAP payments. Those services can be Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Administration or Veterans Administration disability benefits.

Applications for residents that don’t meet these autoqualifiers open on Jan. 2 of next year.

To qualify for the program, residents must belong to a household that has at least one U.S. citizen, and the household must make at or below 130% of the federal poverty limit, which is $2,214 of countable income for a household of two. The applicant must also be responsible for paying the heating bill.

Information on how to apply is available on the county Department of Social Services’ website.

The Crisis Intervention Program

CIP, or the Crisis Intervention Program, provides funds when no other assistance is available to households experiencing a life-threatening or health emergency heating or cooling crisis. A crisis is generally considered when the health of someone in the household is threatened by the household’s lack of heating or cooling and/or disconnection of those utilities. 

Applications opened in July and funds are available until they run out or the end of the state fiscal year, whichever happens first. 

“The money does not always last the entire year,” Tookes said.

The federal funding Cumberland County received for CIP last year was about $1.5 million, which allowed DSS to process 10,095 program applications. In 2025, the county will receive $326,083 less in CIP funding. And, like with LIEAP, the number of residents requesting the aid is increasing, despite decreasing federal funding.

In presentations to the county’s Social Services Board, staff from the department’s economic services team noted that allocations of CIP funding are typically depleted within the first two to three weeks of being received. In a September meeting, Tookes said she wasn’t sure the funds would last through the end of the year. 

Since September, the county has seen nine days with temperatures below freezing. The county is opening white flag shelters and warning centers in the coming days, from Dec. 11 to 13. White flag shelters and warming centers are only opened when the National Weather Service reports freezing temperatures.

While funding is tight, Tookes encouraged eligible residents to apply for CIP. To qualify for CIP, residents must be in an energy crisis and have a statement from their utility provider showing how much money is needed to resolve the crisis. Residents also must have at least one U.S. citizen in their household and meet an income test.

Information on how to apply is available on the county Department of Social Services’ website.

“We’re looking forward to serving as many families as we can,” Tookes said.

CityView Reporter Morgan Casey is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. Morgan’s reporting focuses on health care issues in and around Cumberland County and can be supported through the CityView News Fund.