Suffolk woman waits as county experiences 'slight delay' in HEAP applications

A spokesperson for the county says the massive cyberattack revealed in September is impacting the status of HEAP applications.

News 12 Staff

Jan 19, 2023, 3:49 AM

Updated 604 days ago

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A Suffolk County woman is searching for answers on how to heat her home with cold temperatures coming.
Lisa Lewin says she has repeatedly rushed out to Suffolk County for months to find out when her application for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is going to be processed.
"It's the middle of the winter and the heating bills are high, and you know, any financial help that I could receive I would very much appreciate," Lewin says.
A spokesperson for the county says the massive cyberattack revealed in September is impacting the status of HEAP applications.
A statement from Suffolk County said, "The Department of Social Services has experienced a slight delay in the processing of applications but is working diligently to process all applications."
Lewin says she was told there is a three-month backlog of HEAP applications because of the cyberattack and is frustrated because she says she's not getting any answers.
She says she cannot afford any delays when it comes to getting the financial help, she needs to heat her home.
"You have to keep the heat on in the winter," Lewin says. "Otherwise, your pipes are going to freeze so it's a no choice situation."