BENTON, Ark. – Families needing assistance with paying utility bills will soon have relief this summer.

Officials with the Central Arkansas Development Council announced Monday that The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program will assist families with electric bills only.

The program is set to begin the week of Monday, July 25, 2022. Officials said the program will continue as long as funds are available.

The program will operate in the following counties:

Calhoun, Clark, Columbia, Dallas, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Lonoke, Miller, Montgomery, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike, Pulaski, Saline, Sevier and Union

This program announcement comes just after state officials issued a statewide moderate wildfire risk for Arkansas. Burn bans are also continuing to spread across the state, with the total rising to over 40 counties Monday.

To avoid the spread of COVID-19, program officials ask applicants to check with their local office for submission guidelines. For more information about CADC’s Utility Assistance Program, head to CADC.com/Utility-Assistance.