Email: [email protected] Mercer County Hispanic Association is an Application Agency for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Universal Service Fund (USF).LIHEAP:LIHEAP is designed to help low-income families and individuals meet home heating and medically necessary cooling costs.The medically necessary cooling assistance benefit is set at $200, that will be applied as a direct credit to an active electric account in the system otherwise they will be issued as one party checks.An eligible household that heats with natural gas or electricity may have its benefits directly forwarded to its utility company. Otherwise, in most cases eligible households directly responsible to a fuel supplier for payment of home heating costs receive a two-party check in the name of the applicant and the fuel supplier. Households whose heating costs are included in their rent receive a single party check made out to the eligible applicant. A household receiving medically necessary cooling benefits also receives a single party check.USF:USF is a program created by the State of New Jersey to help make natural gas and electric bills more affordable for low-income households. Those eligible for USF can lower the amount they pay for gas and electricity. The USF benefit appears on the electric or natural gas bill in the form of a credit.