The Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)’s Energy Assistance Program deadline is quickly approaching. Eligible residents must schedule an appointment to apply prior to May 15 to receive the benefits of the program.

“We are pleased to have served more than 56,000 households to date with this year’s program,” says DHHS Director Héctor Colón. “While the state is down in applications this year due to the warmer winter, Milwaukee County is continuing to increase the number of households served by this program. We are very proud to provide this service to ease the burden of utility bills for our residents in need.”

The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program, also known as WHEAP, is a state program that is administered in Milwaukee County by DHHS. WHEAP provides a one-time payment for eligible residents, covering a portion of their energy costs.

Eligible residents can schedule appointments to apply for WHEAP prior to May 15, 2016. They can call 414-270-4-MKE, or going online to www.energyassistancemke.org. There are also flexible walk-in options at our four service locations, Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. – noon:

• North – 4906 W Fond du Lac Avenue (Fond du lac and Capitol)
• Downtown – 728 N James Lovell Street (7th and Wisconsin)
• South – 2701 S Chase Ave (between Lincoln and Oklahoma)
• West Allis –  6761 W Greenfield Ave

The Energy Assistance Program has also expanded phone service capacity to accommodate the increase in applicants scheduling appointments over the phone as an effort to decrease wait time in lines at locations.

For residents who are unable to schedule appointments prior to May 15, they may still be eligible for crisis services. To get more information, these residents should call 414-270-4-MKE, or visit our website at www.energyassistancemke.org after May 15 to learn about their options for assistance outside of the energy assistance period.

For more information on Energy Assistance or to schedule an appointment, visit www.energyassistancemke.org.