KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- If you're having trouble paying your electric bill this summer while trying to keep yourself cool, help may be on the way.

The Northeast Missouri Community Action Agency administrates the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, a year long program that helps low income households pay their energy bills. During the summer months, from June until September, they assist residents of Adair, Clark, Knox, Schuyler and Scotland counties with their cooling costs, if the resident meets federal poverty guidelines and has received a disconnect notice.

"We have to actually have a disconnect notice in order to receive crisis money, the $300, so they just have to bring in a disconnect notice and then we would make the pledge before the disconnect date," said Mindy Garrett with NEMO Community Action Agency.

Garrett says a household can receive up to $300 of assistance per summer. Also, the resident must be a U.S. citizen in order to receive assistance.

The program also allows for residents over 65 or with a medical need to receive a free air conditioning unit every three years.

For more information on the program, view the Northeast Missouri Community Action Agency site here.