HOWARD COUNTY, Md. — It's a sigh of relief for non-profits that the government shutdown is over, but not all is rosy when it comes to their federally-funded programs in the longterm.
A blustery week reminds April Bridges that winter is fast-approaching. She's holding out hope her power won't get shut off.
“No lights, no food, no nothing. That will be detrimental,” she said.
Uncertain future for energy assistance program
As a single mother of seven, she once held down three jobs to make ends meet. But, she lost her job during COVID and in 2023, another blow— an injury that's once again left her out of work as a bus driver for special needs kids.
“I miss it a lot and hopefully I can get back to it soon,” she said.
Bridges is one of 1,000 in Howard County who have applied for energy assistance and are waiting to hear back, according to the Community Action Council.
The program is funded by the federal government's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program or LIHEAP.
The same one that helped Bridges keep the lights on, when her BGE bill first doubled a few years ago.
“The rates spiked and it seemed like overnight,” she said. “Definitely got overwhelming.”
Bridges received a lump sum of about $1,500— just enough to get back on track.
“It's tough, once you get knocked off it takes awhile to get back to that pace,” she said.
CAC president Tracy Broccolino says the program has been hit by a perfect storm, with the money not going as far from a double whammy — higher costs and a greater pool of applicants.
"Categorical eligibility was introduced in 2024, and that made it possible for folks who receive benefits like SNAP or temporary cash assistance to receive automatic eligibility for energy assistance," Broccolino explained.
And though the state stepped in as a stop-gap during the shutdown, down the line it's less clear if this assistance will even be available in years to come.
“Taking a look at the long-term plans of the current administration is whether or not LIHEAP will be sustainable in the future,” Broccolino explained.
“That would be awful if they cut that off. It seems like Howard County is like the most expensive county to live in in this area and with things going up and things getting worse, no that wouldn't be good at all,” Bridges said.
Broccolino hopes leaders can come together, to keep that from happening.
“It's not only working families, it's our veterans, it's our seniors, it's our folks with disabilities who rely on this to help them get through these periods when energy rates just continue to rise,” she said.
