BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Congressman Marc Molinaro is making sure Upstate New Yorkers stay warm this winter as he secures a large federal grant.

Molinaro announced on Tuesday that New York State has received $360,015,351 in federal funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Molinaro is an avid supporter of the program and continuously fights to increase funding for its services.

LIHEAP is administered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It supports families and individuals with low incomes by assisting them with their home heating costs in the winter and with cooling bills in the summer. The program can also be used to weatherize homes to make them more energy efficient and better protected during disasters and extreme weather to avoid energy emergencies.

“As we head into the winter months, we are ensuring that every family, regardless of their financial circumstances, can afford the basic necessity of heat. No family should ever have to choose between heating their home or putting food on the table,” said Molinaro.

Those interested in applying for LIHEAP can visit energyhelp.us or call the National Energy Assistance Referral Hotline at 1 (866)674-6327 for assistance.