Caught between SNAP and LIHEAP delays, a grandmother turned to faith — and found help

In October, Doris wasn’t sure what she was going to do.

The government delayed the release of SNAP (food stamps), and at the same time it announced that the federal heating assistance program, LIHEAP, would be delayed by a month.
Doris lives on a fixed income with her teenage granddaughter in an old farmhouse - and had an empty oil tank.

“Everything just came up at the same time. No heating oil, no food, no nothing,” she said. “I just prayed to the Lord. I always believed that if I keep myself on a straight line, He’ll keep a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food on the table.”

At the time, Doris put $150 toward heating oil, but it only provided 45 gallons. That’s when she thought of Lebanon County Christian Ministries, where she regularly shops at the Market on 7th for supplemental groceries.

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Because of your support, LCCM was able to help hundreds of people like Doris get through a difficult time during the government shutdown. You can help bridge the gap for our neighbors by becoming a monthly donor. Monthly giving provides stability for nonprofits, especially in times of uncertainty.

Become a monthly donor

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LCCM also operates the upLIFT Lite program, which provides qualifying households with utility payment assistance for water, oil, propane, and electric. The upLIFT Lite program usually requires households to apply for LIHEAP prior to our crisis funding assistance. But in the absence of the LIHEAP program, LCCM made a temporary financial commitment to bridge the gap of funding during the delayed funding period.

For comparison, LCCM spent just $885 on heating oil assistance in November 2024. In November 2025, that number skyrocketed to $21,169 due to the crisis.
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Doris came in for a short interview with upLIFT Lite staff and received heating oil in a matter of a couple of days from her heating oil company. Shortly after receiving oil, Doris was able to get back on her feet when her SNAP benefits were restored and she was able to apply for and receive a grant from LIHEAP to cover heating costs for the rest of the winter.

“I just thank God for organizations like you,” she said. “You got me through the roughest time that I’ve had. When you think there’s no hope, there is hope out there because of people like you.”

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key findings among uplift lite guests

605 people participated in upLIFT Lite between the time it launched in September 2024 and December 2025.

​ Staff conducted reassessments with these guests 3 months later. Of the 20 percent of households staff were able to reach, those saying that they were more than 30 days behind on utility bills decreased significantly from 70% to 43%, according to LCCM's 2026 upLIFT Lite report.
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Significantly, food security rose from 28% to 44%. upLIFT Lite staff worked hard to ensure these guests knew about LCCM's Market on 7th.

In the initial survey, 41% used the Market on 7th. In the three-month follow up, that number rose to 59%. Because you of you, we can provide households with multiple services to prevent evictions, provide food security, and provide referrals to community resources.

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