BOZEMAN — Winter is coming, and that means it’s time to turn the heat up. But for some families, that might be harder this year.
“People could lose their utilities and then have to pay a deposit to get them turned back on, and then they’re further behind,” said Heather Grenier, CEO of HRDC.
Grenier says the government shutdown is impacting energy bills for low-income families.
“There’s no funding to actually fund the benefits at the federal level,” said Grenier.
Winter is coming, but heating assistance isn't available for Montana families due to the government shutdown
Those benefits are known as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, also called LIHEAP, which is a federally funded program that helps offset the spike in heating bills during the winter months, according to Grenier.
In Gallatin, Park, and Meagher counties, HRDC’s service areas, Grenier says between 1,200 to 1,400 families receive the benefit, which is about $100 per month.
“The need is far greater than even the number of families that have participated in prior years,” said Grenier. “It’s a lifeline for a lot of folks."
So much so that without the energy benefit, Grenier says families will have a tough time paying for necessities.
“Typically, folks who are also income-qualified for LIHEAP income-qualify for SNAP benefits, so it’s sort of a double whammy for families right now,” said Grenier.
She says it is especially crucial to those on fixed incomes and those who have homes with poor insulation.
“Oftentimes, seniors and oftentimes, folks who are living in mobile homes or manufactured homes,” said Grenier.
Grenier says even if the government shutdown ended today, families would not see heating benefits until January or February of 2026.
“We anticipate we’ll start seeing some real impacts in the coming weeks,” said Grenier.
HRDC is now counting on community support through donations.
“We are trying to make sure of some funding for energy emergencies,” said Grenier.
