How To Get Fairfax County Cooling Assistance Program – Fairfax County is one of the wealthiest counties in America with a very high cost of living which means it’s difficult for low-income families especially vulnerable populations to afford the rising cost of living. For many low-income older adults, disabled individuals, families with children and people living with other types of medical conditions, purchasing a fan or AC unit during summer months doesn’t come without having to cut back on family essentials like medications or groceries.
Fortunately, there are tons of Fairfax County Cooling Assistance Programs that enable people to remain safe and comfortable in their homes during the scorching heat without having to cut back or sacrifice their basic human needs. In this guide, we will throw light on a comprehensive list of Fairfax County Summer Cooling Assistance Program that you can apply to if you belong to this county.
Highlights of this Post
Key Takeaways
- Eligibility criteria include income, age, disability, household composition, and medical conditions.
- Required documents: proof of identity, income, residency, age, household composition, and medical condition.
- Programs offer assistance for purchasing and installing cooling equipment, paying utility bills, and repairing air conditioning units.
- Government and nonprofit organizations provide various cooling assistance resources.
- Application processes involve contacting local agencies and providing necessary documentation.
What Are The Eligibility Criteria To Qualify For the Fairfax County Cooling Assistance Programs?
The specific eligibility criteria to qualify for the Summer Cooling Assistance Programs in Fairfax County may vary depending on the program, the eligibility criteria, and many other factors. The common eligibility criteria to qualify are as follows:
- Income Criteria. Fairfax County cooling assistance programs generally target low-income households and so these programs have specific income thresholds. You must earn income a specific percentage of the federal poverty level or state median income.
- Special Priority: To be eligible for utility bill payment support or cooling assistance at least one member of the household must belong to a vulnerable population like senior citizens (60 years or above in age), children below 5 years of age, and individuals living with a disability according to Medicaid, Social Security or 100% Veterans Administration.
- Medical Conditions: Low-income Fairfax County residents who are living with certain medical conditions that can be exacerbated by heat, for instance respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease or diabetes can qualify for the cooling assistance programs.
- Age Criteria: A few programs prioritize vulnerable populations for instance elderly citizens (60 years or above) and low-income families with children. Older adults who are vulnerable to heat-associated illness get prioritized during extreme hot weather conditions.
- Household Composition: A few programs consider the household composition and size while determining the eligibility criteria. Larger households or those living with elderly relatives or children may get priority.
- Disability: Disabled individuals who are susceptible to heat-associated illness or serious health issues can qualify for assistance and may get special preferences. You also have to provide documents of your disability status to qualify.
- Energy Burden: A few programs consider the utility bills or energy burden of the household before providing them assistance. If a significant percentage of your household income is spent on cooling bills then you can receive priority.
- Citizenship or Residency: Applicants are required to make sure they are citizens of the United States or residents of Fairfax County Virginia to qualify for the cooling assistance programs. A few programs target residents of particular locations or geographic areas that are prone to heat waves or high-temperature.
What Are The Documentations Required To Qualify For the Fairfax County Cooling Assistance Programs?
The specific documents required to qualify for Fairfax County’s Cooling Assistance Programs may vary depending on the organization or program you are considering, the amount of funds available, your eligibility and your location. Here is a list of documents that are required to qualify for assistance.
- Proof of Identity: You need to provide proof of your identity in the form of a passport, state ID, driver’s license or government-issued identification documents
- Proof of Income: Applicants have to provide proof of their income to make sure of their low-income status in the form of pay stubs, bank statements, tax returns or other documents that verify their financial position.
- Proof of Residency: You need to provide proof of address in the form of a Fairfax County property tax statement, lease or rental agreement, and utility bills showing your current address.
- Proof of your Age: You also need to provide proof of your age set by the organization in the form of utility bills, mortgage or lease agreements.
- Proof of Household Composition. Applicants need to provide proof of their household size or composition in the form of a marriage certificate or divorce decree, birth certificate or adoption papers for their children and legal guardianship documents if applicable.
- Medical Documentation (If applicable). This includes a prescription for the necessity of air conditioning or cooling equipment from your healthcare professional, a doctor’s medical certification or a statement confirming a medical condition exaggerated by heat.
- Proof of Financial Hardship: Fairfax County residents may have to provide recent utility bills to demonstrate a huge financial burden or shut off notices if they are facing utility disconnection due to financial problems.
- Proof of Disability (If Any): Disabled Members of the household can receive Fairfax County Cooling Assistance Program by providing medical records documenting their disability status including Disability Award Letter from Social Security Administration.
What Are The Benefits Of Qualifying For Fairfax County Cooling Assistance Programs?
Fairfax County Cooling Assistance Programs help in the purchase of whole house fans including attic or free standalone ceiling fans when there is no working cooling equipment present in the home.
Assistance programs help in the repair of the central AC or heat pump in the household
Low-income households who are unable to pay for their electric bills to operate cooling equipment can turn to the Fairfax County Cooling Assistance Programs. This program also helps in the payment of security deposits for electricity to run cooling equipment like ACs or fans for accounts in danger of being discontinued or when a deposit is required to begin service.
The Cooling Assistance Programs help in the purchase as well as installation or self-pickup of air conditioning units irrespective of whether you’re going for window or portable for low-income households when there is no other working cooling equipment in the house.
Government Programs Offering Fairfax County Cooling Assistance Programs
In the below section of the guide, we have covered different resources that can help you qualify for the Fairfax County cooling assistance programs.
Virginia Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP or EAP)
The Virginia LIHEAP Cooling Assistance Program is available statewide including Fairfax County and comprises 4 components: crisis assistance, fuel assistance, weatherization and cooling assistance. The cooling assistance program assists poor households, especially those who are earning below a specific percentage of the federal poverty level and are paying a huge portion of their household income towards home energy bills.
To be eligible for the LIHEAP you need to be a resident of Virginia and in need of financial assistance to cover your utility bill. If you or any of your household members participate in government assistance benefits like SNAP, TANF for SSI then you can automatically qualify for this program. To apply for this program you must contact the local administrative agency near you or contact 855-635-4370.
- $19578 for one-person household
- $26572 for two-person household
- $33566 for three-person household
- $40560 for four-person household
- $47554 for five-person household
- $54548 for six-person household
- $61548 for seven-person household
- $68536 for eight-person households and $6994 for each additional person per household with more than eight members.
Weatherization Assistance Program
Weatherization Assistance Program is a federally funded program that is administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.
The program helps to reduce the home energy costs for low-income individuals and families by improving the energy efficiency of their homes and enabling them to assess or eliminate health and safety-related hazards.
Households can qualify based on their income and residency. Priority is given to households with disabled, elderly residents and children. This program is available through the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.
The program does not assist with paying electricity bills but only through the installation of cost-effective energy savings measures like sealing air leaks, adding insulation, and repairing cooling and heating systems.
Fairfax County Department Of Family Services
The Heating, Cooling And Crisis Energy Assistance Program is provided in the Fairfax area by the Fairfax County Department of Family Services. The cooling assistance program is accepted by the Department of Social Service from 15 June through 15 August to allow low-income households to pay for their cooling expenses.
To be eligible for cooling assistance candidates need to fulfill the eligibility criteria and must have at least one vulnerable person in the household with strong cooling needs.
The department also offers financial assistance to support crises when there are no resources for senior citizens to turn to.
The crisis assistance is provided from November 1 through 15th March. If you need weatherization assistance such as help with energy efficiency and air filtration then you can get assistance provided you are living in Burke, Clifton, Chantilly Centreville, Dunn Loring, Merrifield, Fairfax station and other zip codes in Vienna and Fairfax. For more information about energy assistance, you can contact the department at 703-324-438.
Senior Cool Care Program
A collaborative effort between the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services and Dominion Energy has resulted in the launch of the Senior Cool Care Program that assists low-income elderly people in Virginia in receiving cooling devices like air conditioners or stand-alone fans during the summer.
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention senior citizens are more likely to develop a medical condition or take medications that affect the ability of the body to regulate temperature. Senior citizens belonging to Fairfax County and living on fixed incomes can get air conditioning help and another form of cooling assistance from the Senior Cool Care Program.
The program operates every year from May 1 to October 1 and provides services to the residents of Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax and the City of Falls Church. The eligibility criteria of the program require residents to be 60 years or above and have income at or below 150% of the federal poverty line guidelines. To apply for the program you can contact the Aging Disability and Caregiver Resource line by visiting the official website or by dialing 703-324-7948.
Cooling Centers
The temperature in the 90s along with high humidity results in heat-associated illness, especially for people working outdoors, seniors, disabled individuals and children. Symptoms of heat stroke or exhaustion include dizziness, nausea, heavy sweating and weakness. If you are facing similar symptoms then you can move to a cooler area and seek medical help.
Fairfax County provides heat plants in public facilities in the form of cooling centers. The cooling centers in the Annandale and Mason district areas include the following locations.
- George Mason Regional Library, Annandale
- Thomas Jefferson Library, Falls Church
- Woodrow Wilson Library, Culmore
- Willston Multicultural Center, Seven Corners
- Bailey’s Community Center, Bailey’s Crossroads
- James Lee Community Center, Falls Church
- Audrey Moore Rec Center, Annandale
- Providence Rec Center, Falls Church
Once the heat plan gets activated the county distributes water bottles, insect repellent, sunscreen, cooling towels and hats to unsheltered individuals, at shelters, meal sizes and drop-in centers.
Read more about NYC cooling assistance programs in our next guide.
Nonprofit Organizations And Charities That Offer Fairfax County Cooling Assistance Programs
EnergyShare offers a helping hand to individuals who need it the most. It is a year-round utility assistance program that has helped low-income customers pay for their energy bills since 1982. If you’re a Virginia customer you can contact 211 or visit 211virginia.org to get a referral for your local energy-shared agency. EnergyShare provides support to customers in two different ways: bill assistance and weatherization services.
- Bill Payment Assistance: EnergyShare is a crisis program of last resort that helps people pay energy bills or any type of heating and cooling source. It is not income-based so any customer in immediate financial assistance can apply. Senior citizens who are 60 years old and above are eligible for additional assistance. Individuals living with disabilities or military veterans are eligible to receive additional benefits of $500 if they are participating in voucher programs of the Centers for Independent Living or the Department of Veteran Services.
- Weatherization Services: Customers who get Energy Share bill payment assistance are also eligible to receive free home energy assessment and installation of energy efficiency upgrades to save on their energy bills. The upgrades include LED lighting, faucet aerators, AC tune-up, air and duct ceiling, heat pump tune-up, Energy Star refrigerator replacement, water heater tank wrap and so on.
McLean Share Inc. is a nonprofit organization in Fairfax County that helps residents of McLean, Perm and Great Falls VA with emergency financial assistance as well as cash grants.
These grants and assistance programs are geared towards low-income households who are unable to pay for the utility and cooling bills or any other crisis.
By becoming eligible for the funds you not only pay for your cooling expenses but also meet your dental and medical expenses. To know more about their assistance programs you can contact them at 703-229-1414.
The charity-based organization that works in Fairfax County and provides emergency financial assistance programs for Virginia residents is Herndon-Reston FISH, Inc. The assistance is geared towards low-income residents in need of assistance like rent, cooling assistance, utility, emergency dental care, car repair and medications.
You can also receive free gas cards or vouchers to cover your transportation or gasoline expenses. To apply for assistance you can contact Fairfax County Coordinated Service Planning at 703-222-0888 to get information and be referred to HRFISH for grants or assistance programs.
St. Vincent de Paul Society offers emergency heating fuel, cooling assistance, funds for paying rent, mortgage or utility bills and many other supportive services.
You can contact them at 703-385-4010 and learn how to qualify for further assistance programs for low-income families including single moms and immigrants who can get free groceries and food if they’re navigating financial hardship.
A lot of assistance programs in Fairfax VA are provided through references but sometimes they also provide direct aid like food, clothing, free AC units or ceiling fans and so on.
FAITH in Northern Virginia assists residents irrespective of their faith or religion. The assistance program is available to qualified applicants who belong to the low-income category and need clothing or free air conditioners for low-income families.
The charity also helps with financial assistance and immediate temporary cash grants to qualified individuals and families. Besides cooling assistance, you can also get help with medical bills, mortgages, rent, medicine and dental expenses. Individuals who are facing utility cutoff notices can get help immediately with utility and cooling bills.
Community Action Agencies for Northern Virginia and Fairfax County are known as Cornerstones Reston Interfaith. The agency offers a wide array of self-sufficiency, reference and emergency financial assistance programs including help with cooling assistance or utility bills. The nonprofit organization also issues loans to help you cover your crisis.
Families only experiencing financial hardship and are unable to pay their cooling bills can contact the Community Action Agency at 571-323-9575. You can get help with low-cost childcare and vouchers, Christmas assistance, free food, emergency and self-sufficiency services, core budgeting and programs that prevent eviction or homelessness.
Caregivers for seniors who want to receive free can apply for the Fan Care And Cooling Assistance Program and submit applications prior summer months.
You are also required to meet the monthly income guidelines to qualify. This program is geared towards low-income households with at least one person considered vulnerable to heat like disabled individuals elderly individuals or a young child.
The cooling assistance program offers free air conditioners and fans to the elderly with medical conditions who need cooling assistance. The volunteers of the program deliver fans to the senior recipients at their homes and to date, the program has donated as well as distributed 22,000+ fans.
Brite Paths assist with financial resources and food support to Fairfax County residents who are referred to them by a county or social worker. Their financial assistance programs offer small cash grants to eligible candidates of Fairfax County that help them pay for their rent, electricity or utility bills, car repairs and other basic emergency needs.
Individuals who are facing an energy crisis and unable to pay their cooling bills get assistance. The residents who are willing to receive assistance should be referred to the organization by Fairfax County’s Coordinated Service Planning at 703-222-0880. Besides you can also get help with food, financial empowerment or coaching, workforce coaching, training and mentoring, school supply assistance and holiday assistance.
Want to get free appliances for low-income families? Head to our next blog.
Conclusion
Summer cooling assistance programs in Fairfax County help vulnerable residents to stay cool and comfortable in their summer and provide funds for air conditioning repairs, purchase and installation of a fan or air conditioning unit and payment of a security deposit to begin electric service. From the Senior Cool Care program to Virginia LIHEAP and the WAP program, there are resources for low-income households that help them stay comfortable during the hot summer months. Fairfax County provides tons of resources and assistance programs to help the public stay comfortable and cool.
At Get Government Grants we understand how critical free resources and government programs are for low-income families. This is why we have listed supportive programs and community organizations that help people in times of need. Head to our blogs now to find supportive programs that suit your needs.