The Black Belt Chapter of the American Red Cross will accept applications for Project Share, the energy assistance program for low-income elderly or the disabled, Tuesday, Jan. 17 beginning 9 a.m.

Dallas County residents who need assistance in paying their energy bills can call the Project Share Office of Red Cross at 874-4641 to make an appointment and interview by phone with a representative. For those who qualify, payments will be made directly to the energy supplier.

Executive director for the Black Belt office Jakki Caldwell-Phillips said the program, which has assisted many in times past, is valuable.

“It’s very important, anytime you’re giving away free assistance,” Phillips said. “We’ve had so many phone calls in advance about when (the) program was going to start; the end of December, the first of January we received 200 to 300 calls, so I think it’s a strong indication of how impactful the program really is.”

According to information from the Red Cross, the agency had 9,199 cases, served 15,294 clients and gave nearly $1.25 million in assistance in 2011.

Phillips said the Black Belt office served between 350 to 400 people in Dallas and surrounding counties.

“We impacted about 680 people,” Phillips said.

To qualify for assistance, the family income must be within certain guidelines depending on the size of the household. In addition, the head of the household must meet one of the following eligibility criteria: be 62-years-old or older and/or be receiving a disability check.

Appointments will be issued on a first-come, first-call basis, and funds are limited to only 200 appointments for Dallas County. There will be absolutely NO walk-up appointments allowed, Phillips said.

Introduced in 1982 through a partnership with Alabama Power Company and American Red Cross, Project Share is funded by voluntary pledges made by customers of participating energy suppliers.

More than 24 other electric cooperatives municipalities have joined and currently participate in the program.