PCCEO to no longer provide LIHEAP assistance starting October

PEORIA (25News Now) - Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity, or PCCEO, announced it will no longer provide LIHEAP energy assistance to thousands of low-income families this fall.

LIHEAP helps a maximum of 3,400 families in low-income households receive financial assistance with their energy bills. PCCEO has offered the state-funded service for decades after receiving a more than $5.5 million grant for the program.

PCCEO CEO Denise Moore, who was appointed to the job in April, said it’s a huge blow to the agency. She said the loss of the LIHEAP program is due to financial issues in the past years.

Despite the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s commendation of the current administration, the past instability was too significant for them to continue the funding.

Moore also pointed to the agency’s high leadership turnover. PCCEO has had five CEOs since 2022, before Moore, something that has plagued the agency’s reputation with the public over the years.

“With all of that happening, there has been no one paying attention to the fiscal side,” Moore said. “As a result, there have been a couple of years of audits that were never submitted to the state.”

Moore said the Community Services Block Grant, which aided people with employment, education, and rental assistance, was also cut by the state.

However, Moore said they are not going to leave people stranded. She hopes to continue allowing people to access information and apply for LIHEAP at PCCEO, but the program will be run by Tazewood Community Services in Pekin.

“I have recommended that the staff of LIHEAP be retained by the emergency provider, and that they even conduct those services out of the building at here PCCEO,” Moore said. “That’s where the community is used to coming, and the folks here have done a great job.”

Peoria Mayor Rita Ali said the loss of the program is a disappointment but added that people will still be able to receive the help they need, and that is what is important.

“Anytime these types of funds are threatened in any way, it’s a serious problem. Fortunately, they will continue. They won’t continue with the same administering agency, but they will continue for the residents of Peoria,“ Ali said.

Moore said another grant has been cut from PCCEO, too. The Community Services Block Grant was also cut by the state, which aided people with employment, education, and rental assistance.

She said, despite struggles in the past, she has hope for the agency, although she said, for now, it will be losing its action agency status shortly.

“We need to get our fiscal health in order, and it has not been in order for three years, and it’s not going to happen overnight,” Moore said. “I can tell you it’s going to take a Herculean effort to get the fiscal side in order.”

Moore said the LIHEAP program funding will run out at the end of this month and will not start back up again in October.

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