Money allocated for utility bill help

Local community action agencies will be able to continue helping families with rising utility bills thanks to $10 million in additional funding from the state.

Gov. Bobby Jindal and Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell announced Monday the money will be split between two existing programs that both have operations throughout the Teche Area.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Weatherization Assistance Program each will receive $5 million to expand the number of households being helped, according to the governor’s office.

The announcement came two weeks after the commissioner declared an energy emergency because of skyrocketing energy costs.

St. Mary Community Action Agency Director Almetra Franklin said she spoke with Jindal about the utility cost crisis when he visited Jeanerette Aug. 18.

“We’re very excited that the governor was true to his word,” Franklin said.

“This is much-needed relief for the citizens of our communities.”

Money for the St. Mary Parish LIHEAP and WAP programs, operated through the action agency, ran out in late July, Franklin said.

The LIHEAP program temporarily assists low-income families in paying energy bills, and the WAP initiative helps fund weatherization of homes and other conservation and efficiency projects to help with long-term energy savings, according to the release.

The additional money can help an estimated 11,000 families statewide through LIHEAP, and 1,700 homes through WAP.

SMILE, a non-profit community action agency that caters to St. Martin, Iberia and Lafayette Parishes, administers both programs in St. Martin and Iberia parishes.

Alvin Wiltz, executive director of SMILE, said both programs ran out of funding Aug. 15.

Before the announcement, Wiltz said he was not anticipating new funding until November.

Irma Bourgeois, director of sales and operations for SMILE, said from March 3 to Aug. 15, SMILE’s LIHEAP and WAP programs spent $112,228 helping 284 families in St. Martin Parish and $224,800 assisting 572 families in Iberia Parish.