SIDNEY — The Community Action and Ohio Development Services Agency will help income-eligible Ohioans stay cool during the hot summer months.

The Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program provides assistance in paying an electric bill or assistance paying for central air conditioning repairs. The program runs from July 1 until Aug. 31.

The Summer Crisis Program provides assistance to low-income households with an elderly member (60 or older) or households that can provide physician documentation that cooling assistance is needed for a household member’s health. This can include lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma.

Eligible households can receive up to $300 if they are a customers of a regulated utility or $500 if they are a customers of unregulated utilities, such as electric cooperatives and municipal utilities. The assistance is applied to their utility bills or applied to central air conditioning repair costs. Ohioans must have a gross income at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines to qualify for assistance. For a family of four, the annual income must be at or below $42,525.

Ohioans enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus Program (PIPP Plus) are not eligible for bill payment-assistance through the program but are encouraged to work with Community Action to identify other opportunities for assistance.

For information, call 937-507-9341.