As the temperatures drop, those heating bills can increase as heating units work overtime to combat the cold weather. To help with this, 21 different community service agencies across Alabama will receive money to provide emergency funding to low-income families to help heat their homes this winter – including an agency that serves Franklin County.

A total of $46.2 million will be divided among these 21 agencies, with grants administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs through funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

“Many low-income families in Alabama are forced to weigh between staying warm in their homes or having food and prescription medicine,” said Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey in a press release. “These grants will help many elderly, disabled and families with children not have to make those choices. I am pleased to provide this assistance to help those most in need.”

LIHEAP is dedicated to helping low-income families pay for the energy needed to heat their houses. Money is distributed through local community service agencies based on income, family size and available resources.

“Gov. Ivey understands the crucial importance of this funding for helping qualified families heat their homes during cold weather,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell. “ADECA is pleased to join with the governor to make these funds available as we enter what are typically the coldest months of the year in Alabama.”

Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama Inc. will receive $1.25 million in funding to help residents in Franklin County as well as Colbert and Lauderdale counties.

Other organizations receiving funding will be:

• • Community Action Partnership of Huntsville/Madison and Limestone Counties Inc. for Madison and Limestone counties, $2.77 million

• • Community Action Agency of Northeast Alabama Inc. for Blount, Cherokee, DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall and St. Clair counties, $3.54 million

• • Community Action Partnership of North Alabama Inc. for Cullman, Lawrence and Morgan counties, $2.3 million

• • Marion-Winston Counties Community Action Committee Inc. for Marion and Winston counties, $699,100

• • Community Action of Etowah County Inc. for Etowah County, $1.2 million

• • Walker County Community Action Agency Inc. for Walker County, $779,220

• • Community Action Agency of Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Calhoun and Cleburne counties, $2.06 million

• • Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity for Jefferson County,

$4.49 million

• • Community Services Programs of West Alabama Inc. for Bibb, Choctaw, Dallas, Fayette, Greene, Lamar, Perry, Sumter and Tuscaloosa counties, $5.42 million

• • Pickens County Community Action Committee and Community Development Corp. Inc. for Pickens County, $368,500

• • Community Action Committee Inc. of Chambers-Tallapoosa-Coosa, $1.05 million

• • Community Action Partnership of Middle Alabama Inc. for Autauga, Chilton, Elmore and Shelby counties, $2.15 million

• • Hale Empowerment and Revitalization Organization Inc. for Hale County, $425,330

• • Alabama Council on Human Relations Inc. for Lee County, $1.23 million

• • Macon-Russell Community Action Agency Inc. for Macon and Russell counties, $1.06 million

• • Montgomery Community Action Committee & CDC Inc. for Montgomery County, $2.52 million

• • Organized Community Action Program Inc. for Bullock, Butler, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Lowndes and Pike counties, $2.89 million

• • Southeast Alabama Community Action Partnership Inc. for Barbour, Coffee, Geneva, Henry and Houston counties, $2.25 million

• • Community Action Agency of South Alabama Inc. for Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Marengo, Monroe and Wilcox counties, $3.01 million

• • Mobile Community Action Inc. for Mobile and Washington counties, $4.83 million