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.

“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.