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Snowflake
Winter 
Crisis Program
Winter
Crisis Program
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When is this program available

Beginning November 1st and operating through the end of March of the following year, the Winter Crisis Program provides a one-time benefit to help income-eligible Greater Cleveland residents who have been disconnected, received a disconnection notice, or have less than a 25 percent supply of bulk fuel maintain their utility service or heat for their home.

Four steps to getting winter crisis assistance 

All four steps must be completed to receive assistance.

  1. Schedule an appointment by calling (216) 480-HEAP or scheduling online here.

  2. Immediately following scheduling, complete an online application at energyhelp.ohio.gov, the application portal for Ohio Energy Assistance Programs.

  3. Keep your appointment by answering our phone call at the appointed time.

  4. If additional documentation is needed, submit the required materials within 10 days as instructed.

YOU MUST HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE 

Appointments are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

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All crisis appointments are conducted by phone. You do not need to visit an office.

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Appointment scheduling are reserved for crisis services only. Non-emergency benefits are processed by applying online or by mail.

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You can schedule an appointment 24/7, no internet access required by calling (216) 480-HEAP or schedule online here.

Appointment types

New this year, Step Forward has implemented a unified scheduling system to ensure all available appointments are fairly accessible to Cuyahoga County residents. We’ve introduced appointment types to ensure that households without service have daily appointment access so that we can more quickly get service restored for households with no heat.​

Winter Crisis Reconnection: for no service or bulk fuel

Appointment slots for reconnecting service cannot be reserved by households that already have their service active at the time of scheduling—no exceptions. Step Forward will verify the loss of service before confirming such appointments and will release the slot if the requesting household is still connected. Reconnection appointments do not receive a 30-day hold with the utility provider. For households using bulk fuels, no provider verification is required.

Winter Crisis Disconnection: 
notice received by household

Appointment slots for households recently served a disconnection notice are automatically reported to the utility provider and must be granted a 30-day disconnection hold by the provider.

HEAP Courtesy Center Serving By Appointment Only During Crisis

Located at 8324 Richmond Road, Warrensville Heights, Ohio 44128, Step Forward’s HEAP Courtesy Center is closed to walk-in clients for the 2024-2025 Winter Crisis Program. Courtesy Center staff will serve by appointment only Monday through Friday from 8:00AM until 4:00PM.

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​We appreciate the community’s understanding of this change in service and Courtesy Center staff look forward to receiving the public during non-crisis periods.

Application processing requirements

Starting with the date of appointment, Step Forward provides clients ten days to submit additional requested documents as the client is instructed in writing or by email. After the ten days, any application processed by appointment will remain open through the end of Winter Crisis on March 31, 2025. However, the client must reschedule another appointment for further processing. Appointments are subject to availability and an additional appointment may not be available during periods of high demand.

 

All incomplete Winter Crisis applications will close on or before April 15, 2025, in accordance with program guidelines in the State of Ohio.

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