Cherokee Nation sees big drop in heating assistance funding

Monday, January 9, 2012  

The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma has seen a big drop in funds for its Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

In fiscal year 2011, the tribe received $1.79 million from the Department of Health and Human Services. That amount has dropped to $529,000 for fiscal year 2012.

"Yes, we are down. What that means is we probably won’t be able to make supplemental payments to our elderly or disabled like we’ve done in the past and our payment levels won’t be as high as they were in the past," CN Director of Family Assistance Jerry Snell told The Cherokee Phoenix.

Part of the reason for the drop was attributed to the failure of Congress to approve a federal budget.

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Tribe’s LIHEAP funding reduced significantly (The Cherokee Phoenix 1/9)