'LEAP' Assistance For Home Heating Begins Accepting Applicaitons

DENVER (CBS4) – Staying warm in the cold can be overwhelming for some Colorado families struggling to make ends meet. A program called LEAP, which will begin accepting applications, can help.

Residents are eligible for LEAP assistance based on their monthly income. LEAP helps people get a heater or repairs. It can also help turn the heat back on for anyone with missed payments.

More than 100,000 Coloradans qualify for LEAP.

Applicants must meet the following criteria to receive help from LEAP:

- Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident, or be part of a household with a legal resident;
- Responsible for paying heating costs; and
- Meet certain income limits

"Heating your home during the winter should never be a choice, but every winter people all across Denver have to choose between paying their heating bill or paying for other basic necessities like food, medicine or health care," said Denver Human Services Executive Director Penny May. "With help from LEAP, heating your home doesn't have to be a choice and that means thousands of households can stay warm and avoid medical issues, house fires and other preventable hazards that can occur when you're unable to pay your heating bill."

LEAP will begin accepting applications on Saturday.

For more information visit a special section of colorado.gov, or call (866) HEAT-HELP (432-8435).