The Cattaraugus County Department of Social Services has been advised by the New York State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance that those suffering from high temperatures this summer will get some relief through the Home Energy Assistance Programs’ Cooling Assistance Component.

Cattaraugus County will begin accepting applications for the 2021-2022 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Cooling Assistance Component (CAC) beginning May 2, 2022. Benefits are provided on a first come first serve basis until the earlier of (a) exhaustion of the funding or (b) the August 31, 2022, program end date. Households may be eligible for the CAC benefit if they have not received a HEAP funded air conditioner in the past 5 years. New this year, to be eligible for a CAC benefit the applicant or somebody in the household does not need to have a documented medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat.

If you believe that your household may be eligible for this benefit or if you have questions, please contact the Cattaraugus County Department of Social Services HEAP unit at 716-701-3774 or by email at CattHEAP@dfa.state.ny.us. Applications are also available Monday through Friday between 8am and 5pm at the Cattaraugus County Department of Social Services at 1 Leo Moss Dr. Olean, NY 14760.