Assistance Paying Bills

  • Ursuline Support Services – Checks & Balance Program
    http://ursulinesupportservices.org/services/independence-support-services/money-management/
  • Ursuline Support Services’ Checks & Balance Program provides a volunteer bill paying program, sponsored by the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging. This program provides assistance to adults and those with disabilities who have difficulty maintaining their monthly financial obligations. This program matches trained volunteers with adults that need help budgeting and assuring their bills are paid on time.

  • Heating Assistance / LIHEAP
    The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, also known as LIHEAP, helps low-income families pay their heating bills. LIHEAP is a grant that offers assistance in the form of a cash grant, sent directly to the utility company, or a crisis grant for households in immediate danger of being without heat.How to Apply: There are three different ways you can apply for LIHEAP, online, on paper, or in person.
  1. You can apply for the LIHEAP benefits online by using COMPASS. COMPASS is the name of the website where you can apply for LIHEAP and many other services that can help you make ends meet.
    https://www.compass.state.pa.us/Compass.Web/public/cmphome
  2. Download an application for LIHEAP benefits (http://www.dhs.pa.gov/cs/groups/webcontent/documents/document/c_214070.pdf) and return it to your local county assistance office, or to Operation Better Block, the YWCA Hope for All program, or to the Salvation Army in Homewood.
  3. English- Energy Assistance Application
    http://www.dhs.pa.gov/cs/groups/webcontent/documents/document/c_214070.pdf

For more information, please contact your local county assistance office or contact the LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095, Monday through Friday.


  • Salvation Army
    (800-454-1156)
    Utility assistance (including electric and heating bills) as well as free food and information on programs such as SNAP food stamps.

  • Sewage Bill Assistance – Clean Water Assistance Fund
    There is a new grant from ALCOSAN (Allegheny County Sanitary Authority) customers in select municipalities to receive assistance with their sewage bill. If assistance is approved, the grant will provide quarterly payments of $30 towards your bill, for a total of $120 a year. ALCOSAN has committed nearly a million dollars in order to provide this vital customer assistance program for low-income individuals and families. It has contracted with Dollar Energy Fund Inc. to administer the program. A list of the agencies where one can apply through for this grant is on the second page of this link: http://www.alcosan.org/Portals/0/PDFs/CWAF%20Information%20Sheet%20FINAL%2012.19.16.pdf

  • Rent Assistance:  North Hills Community Outreach (412-487-6316), Community Human Services, Urban League of Pittsburgh, and Veteran’s Leadership Program have all been selected to provide the assistance as well as homeless prevention programming, funds for monthly rent payments, and also housing relocation services for those who need to move or are currently homeless.

  • Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh
    (412-227-4805)ULGP provides a number of services. One of them is emergency rental assistance and cash grants as part of the Housing Assistance Program. It is for those families facing eviction or the risk of becoming homeless. Funds may be used for paying security deposits or first month’s rent.

  • Pittsburgh Presbyterian Lazarus Fund
    (412-323-1400)
    Get a few hundred dollars to pay rent, mortgage, or medical bills.