RICHMOND — The Virginia Department of Social Services announced it will again provide cooling assistance to qualifying households this year through the Virginia Energy Assistance Program.
Applications are currently being accepted through Friday, Aug. 15.
According to VDSS, to qualify, a household must have a child six years of age or younger, an adult 60 years or older, or an individual living with a disability. Additionally, there are income requirements based on a household’s gross monthly income before taxes, which can be found here.
Assistance is available for:
- Payment of electric bills and/or security deposits to operate cooling equipment
- Repair of a central air conditioning system or heat pump
- Purchase of a whole-house fan, including ceiling or attic fans
- Purchase and installation of a window unit air conditioner
VDSS encourages individuals and families in need of cooling assistance to apply even if they are unsure of their eligibility status.
Households that received a one-time benefit of $365 for payment of electric bills to operate cooling equipment in June will not be eligible to receive additional payments for this type of assistance in 2025, VDSS said. However, those households remain eligible to receive other cooling assistance services listed above, including air conditioning system repair and the purchase of a whole-house fan.
Receiving cooling assistance does not impact a household’s eligibility for fuel or crisis assistance, according to the department.
Applications in English or Spanish can be submitted to the household’s local department of social services, online via CommonHelp, or by calling 855-635-4370 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eligibility is determined by the local department of social services, VDSS said.
The Virginia Energy Assistance Program has provided relief to local residents through the federally-funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for more than 20 years. Last year, the department said it served more than 88,000 Virginia households with cooling assistance through the LIHEAP.
