Columbia Gas of Ohio has announced that more than $2.5 million will be made available to income-eligible
customers over the next five winter heating seasons to assist with paying their natural gas bills.
Qualified Columbia customers may apply for Columbia Fuel Fund assistance through their local community
action agency. Local agency contact information may be obtained by contacting Columbia’s Customer
Contact Center at 1-800-344-4077.
The Columbia Fuel Fund offers a once per heating season assistance payment for customers with incomes up
to 200 percent of federal poverty guidelines ($47,100 for a family of four). While a disconnection
notice is not required for eligibility, customers must have already exhausted all
other available assistance programs such as Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and the Winter Crisis
Fund in order to qualify as it is intended to serve as a fund of last resort.
Nearly 32 percent of Ohioans qualify for some form of assistance with their natural gas bill, yet fewer
than half utilize available programs. Columbia Gas encourages customers who may be eligible to apply
quickly, as funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Previously offered assistance funds
of similar amounts have been exhausted in a matter of
weeks.
Additional programs are available for households that qualify for payment assistance. Columbia Gas offers
one-sixth, one-ninth, and winter heating payment plans, based on qualifying eligibility.
More information and eligibility requirements are available at ColumbiaGasOhio.com.