Latest news with #UETHDA
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
UETHDA's energy assistance outreach RV to visit area locations
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency's (UETHDA) energy assistance outreach RV will travel to locations across the region in June to help those who may need assistance paying their energy bills. The agency offers assistance through the federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides energy assistance to approximately 6.7 million households nationwide. Bristol Life Saving Crew warns of impending possible closure To be fair and in accordance with Tennessee Human Development Agency guidelines, UETHDA utilizes a priority point system to allocate its limited funds. Priority is given to the low-income, energy-burdened, disabled, elderly, homes with children under 6 years old, veterans, and large households. Due to the limited funds, some who qualify for assistance may not receive enough points to be funded. Payments, which can take 90 days or longer to be applied, are sent directly to the recipient's utility company. The UETHDA's LIHEAP outreach RV will be at the following locations in June: Holston Electric-Church Hill (219 S Central Ave, Church Hill) 6/2/2025 9:00a-3:00p SH/Embreeville Cove (730 Bumpus Cove Rd, Erwin) 6/3/2025 9:45a SH/VFW Post 9724 Teleford/Jonesborough (2463 Hwy 11 E, Teleford) 6/3/2025 1:30p Priceless (3006 North J B Dennis, Kingsport) 6/4/2025 9:00a-3:00p Hope Helps (4540 W Stone Dr, Kingsport) 6/5/2025 9:00a-3:00p Habitat for Humanity (3201 Kimberly Ct, Johnson City) 6/6/2025 10:00a-3:00p Brightridge (2600 Boones Creek Rd, Johnson City) 6/9/2025 9:00a-3:00p Good Samaritan-Piney Flats (331 Industrial Park, Piney Flats) 6/10/2025 9:00a-3:00p Mtn Electric-Roan Mtn (8477 US-19E, Roan Mountain) 6/11/2025 9:00a-3:00p AMFS/River of Life (819 Austin Springs Rd, Piney Flats) 6/12/2025 7:00a SH/Buffalo Valley Church (111 Buffalo Valley Church Rd, Johnson City) 6/16/2025 9:30a SH/Unicoi Methodist (702 Virginia St, Unicoi) 6/16/2025 10:30a SH/East Pine Grove UMC (2215 East Unaka Ave, Johnson City) 6/16/2025 1:30p Habitat for Humanity (750 East Main St, Kingsport) 6/17/2025 9:00a-3:00p SH/Community Fellowship (430 E 4th Ave, Watauga) 6/23/2025 9:30a SH/New Vision COG (1109 Division St, Johnson City) 6/23/2025 12:30p Church Hill Medical Mission Clinic (401 Richmond St, Church Hill) 6/24/2025 1:00p-7:00p Shepards Center (306 E Main St, Rogersville) 6/25/2025 9:00a-1:00p Higher Ground Church (1625 Lynn Garden Dr, Kingsport) 6/26/2025 8:30a-3:30p Good Samaritan-Johnson City (100 N Roan St, Johnson City) 6/27/2025 9:00a-3:00p Salvation Army (200 Ashe St, Johnson City) 6/30/2025 9:00a-3:00p Those interested in the program may also visit one of the agency's nine neighborhood service centers or call 423-246-6180 for more information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cuts, shakeup at the federal level impact local non-profit UETHDA
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — Many local residents who need help with their energy costs often turn to the federally funded LIHEAP program for help. Through the low-income home energy assistance program, families can receive a one-time payment of up to $1,000 to help offset the costs of electricity, gas or even firewood needed for energy. The program is facilitated locally through the Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency (UETHDA). During the COVID-19 pandemic, more money was added to the program, but UETHDA Executive Director Tim Jaynes said Monday that Covid-era funding is ending. Unable to get $2M in time, org. still hopes for air service expansion at Tri-Cities Airport 'Our program as a whole, we are seeing changes in the fact that the COVID money is drying up,' he said. 'So we are seeing a reduction there, and that's about a 20% reduction that we will see throughout the LIHEAP program.' At the height of the funding, about 12,000 residents in eight Northeast Tennessee counties were served. Now, Jaynes said about a thousand fewer will receive those funds. Those recipients will be determined by a points system that assesses the severity of need. So, even though a family may qualify, the funding may not be there to help. But Jaynes encourages residents to still reach out because help may come from another source. 'We are always there, so they can go to their neighborhood service centers or they can contact us at main office. We have a lot of other resources that are available. There's a lot of churches that are available with funding, and there's a lot of, just other organizations that step up and help.' In addition to the COVID-19 funding cuts, nearly all of the staff who ran the LIHEAP program in Washington DC were laid off as part of the restructuring of the Department of Health and Human Services. Jaynes says it's unclear how that decision will impact them locally yet, but hopes the administration will see the value in their programs and make no further cuts. 'Historically, we have seen good results from our programs. We've seen good outcomes. We've seen people moving forward, historically. Also, the administration has liked our programs; and Congress likes our programs. That's why they've continued to fund them. We do not foresee any major drastic cuts, but we're all in a wait-and-see. We don't know what tomorrow holds.' Jaynes adds that UETHDA gives a helping hand, not a handout, and when a client receives assistance, financial counseling is also provided. 'One aspect to the LIHEAP program is when someone comes into our office and works with us, we also work with them on financial literacy. So while it is a small portion of their annual budgeting, we help them with other things and we try and wrap our arms around everyone that walks in the office, because our goal is to eradicate poverty and help them move forward.' As far as local jobs impacted by these cuts, Jaynes didn't want to comment on that until they officially know more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
