It seems like every year, some part of Congress proposes or even votes to eliminate the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) entirely. LIHEAP is an invaluable source of funding that benefits over 450,000 Michigan households experiencing unaffordable energy bills, but that’s only 38% of the households who are eligible. Over half of recipients have incomes below $15,000 and many of these households spend upwards of 25% of their total budget struggling to keep the heat and the lights on.
Through robust education and advocacy efforts, we have been able to defend LIHEAP from attacks, prevent shutoffs, and leverage funds to help households break the cycle of energy poverty. It is both central to our work at EcoWorks and to the Coalition to Keep Michigan Warm, which I have had the privilege of chairing for the past year.
If ever there was an important sign-on letter, this is it. Please make sure your organization is represented. Your organization does not need to work on energy-specific issues, and businesses can sign on, too.
Please take a minute to learn more about and click the blue sign on box on the right to add your name and organization:
http://www.coalitiontokeepmichiganwarm.org/.
Thanks,
Justin Schott |