States hit hardest by heat wave cut or cancel programs to help poor people cool their homes, Associated Press, July 21, 2011, Washington Post: “Many states hit hardest by this week’s searing heat wave have drastically cut or entirely eliminated programs that help poor people pay their electric bills, forcing thousands to go without air conditioning when they need it most. Oklahoma ran out of money in just three days. Illinois cut its program to focus on offering heating money for the winter ahead. And Indiana isn’t taking any new applicants. When weighed against education and other budget needs, cooling assistance has been among the first items cut, and advocates for the poor say that could make this heat wave even more dangerous…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty