With the cold temperatures upon us, many people are concerned about the cost of heating their homes. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is designed to help qualifying families with these bills, and it’s not too late to apply!

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps families living on low incomes pay their heating bills in the form of a cash grant ranging from $200 to $1,000 depending on household size, income, and fuel type. Households in immediate danger of being without heat can also qualify for crisis grants. The cash grant is a one-time payment sent directly to the utility company/fuel provider to be credited on your bill. Remember: This is a grant and does not have to be repaid.

2025 LIHEAP applications accepted through April 4, 2025.

Learn how to apply here.

Students and families facing the cost of higher education often have many questions.  To help answer them, representatives from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) will be providing a variety of webinars, including an overview of how to apply for all types of financial aid, reviewing financial aid offers, financial aid for non-traditional students, and more! Here are January’s options.

PA 529 AND PHEAA DISCUSS OPTIONS TO COVER THE GAP

Wednesday, January 22, 2025, noon – 1:00 p.m.

Please join PHEAA representatives and a speaker from the Pennsylvania Treasury (PA529.com) for this extremely informative webinar. Learn how to plan for financial success as you seek a postsecondary education with an extra emphasis on saving via a 529 Plan. This webinar also briefly covers best practices (such as seeking grants and scholarships first), the primary methods of keeping school related debt to a minimum, and additional resources (such as school-based tuition payment plans). The webinar discusses private education loans as a last resort.

SEARCHING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND AFFORDING THE BALANCE

Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

There are many ways to pay for education, and one important step is to search and apply for scholarships. More free money equals less borrowing. This presentation will review the types of options available, along with tips for applying. It will also offer samples of fun scholarship options to get you started. The session will then review what to do about the balances that might be left over to make affordable higher education decisions.

BORROWING FOR EDUCATION—WHICH LOAN IS RIGHT FOR ME?

Thursday, January 30, 2025, noon – 1:00 p.m.

You may have found the schools you would like to attend, filed the FAFSA and State Grant Form, searched for scholarships, researched higher education costs, and calculated the funding gap. You see that education loans are a necessity, but where do you go from there? What loan programs are available? What are the advantages and disadvantage of the various types? In this 1-hour webinar, PHEAA representatives will review the different borrowing options that may be open to you. The PHEAA loan team will answer your questions to help you make decisions that are right for you and your family.

Learn more, register for sessions, and learn about additional upcoming webinars here.

As always, if you have questions about any of this information or any state-related matter, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 412-343-3870 or RepMiller@pahouse.net. We are here to help!

P.S. In observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day our office will be closed on Monday, January 20 and reopen on Tuesday, January 21, at 8:30 a.m.

Pennsylvania State Capitol

109 Irvis Office Building

Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 783-1850

District Office

650 Washington Rd., Suite 102
Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228

(412) 343-3870