Benefits · Emergency Aid
How to apply for Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP) — Dixie County
Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP) — federally LIHEAP-funded, state-administered, locally delivered by Suwannee River Economic Council (SREC) under contract with Elder Options (Mid-Florida Area Agency on Aging, PSA 3)
Who it's for
The Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP) is a Florida Department of Elder Affairs program funded through the federal LIHEAP block grant but administered separately from regular LIHEAP — explicitly targeted at low-income households with at least one person age 60+. In Dixie County, EHEAP is delivered by Suwannee River Economic Council (SREC), the local 501(c)(3) AAA delivery partner that also operates Title III nutrition, CCE services, AND Transportation in Dixie. EHEAP provides emergency assistance to seniors facing imminent utility shutoff, deposit requirements for service restoration, or a home cooling/heating crisis. Maximum benefits are typically $600-$1,000 per emergency, paid directly to the utility company or the AC repair vendor. EHEAP can stack with regular LIHEAP (fl.dixie.cfcaa_liheap) — a senior household may receive both. Income eligibility is set at 150% of the Federal Poverty Guideline. At least one household member must be 60 years old or older. Apply by calling SREC at 904-964-6696 extension 23 — same intake as FREE congregate meals, Meals on Wheels, CCE in-home services, Senior Services case management, AND SREC Transportation (Dixie is the unique SREC county where one nonprofit handles all senior service pathways).
EHEAP is genuinely emergency-only — applicants must document an imminent shutoff, deposit-for-restoration requirement, or broken heating/cooling crisis. Routine bill assistance for seniors should go through regular LIHEAP via CFCAA (fl.dixie.cfcaa_liheap) instead. The 150% FPL income gate is meaningfully tighter than LIHEAP's 60% SMI gate. Up to 2 EHEAP benefits per program year per household. Florida DOEA caps the typical award at $600-$1,000 per emergency, paid directly to the utility or vendor. For Dixie County, SREC is the FULL-SERVICE integrated intake point — same nonprofit handles EHEAP + FREE congregate meals + Meals on Wheels + CCE in-home services + SREC Transportation. This is the deepest single-nonprofit integration modeled in the catalog.
What you'll need
- Proof of age 60+ for at least one household member (Florida driver's license, Florida ID, or Medicare card)
- Proof of household income for all members (Social Security award letter, pension statement, SSI award letter, pay stubs)
- Proof of Dixie County residency (utility bill, lease, or government correspondence)
- Documentation of the energy emergency: utility shutoff notice, broken-equipment work order or repair estimate, or service-restoration deposit requirement
- Current utility bill
Where to apply
Apply online: official application
By phone: 904-964-6696
Renewals
up to 2 benefits per program year per household per the Florida DOEA rule
Not sure if you qualify? Run a free check first.
Find my benefitsNot legal or financial advice. The agency makes the final eligibility decision.