My electric account was over $20 in the negative, and LIHEAP put $500 on my account this morning 🎉 It may not seem like much to celebrate, but with everything else going on we needed this break. We've been in an open permanency case since beginning of May, and my husband has been unable to work full time due to having to take random drug tests when his color is called on the color line. So our finances are absolutely FUCKED right now. But with LIHEAP paying on our electric, we can finally focus on getting other things we need for ourselves and the kids.

EDIT: I see some confusion on how my husband's work is impacted. Let me explain - If the courts put you on the color line, you have to call it every day. The only day you don't have to call is Sunday, because that's when the testing facility is closed. Obviously you go in to get tested if your color is called. My husband delivers/installs appliances and furniture, his work day (when he's able to work) starts at 6:30 am, but it doesn't end at a set time. The testing facility closes at 7 pm, but sometimes he doesn't get back until 7:30 or later. If his color gets called, he can't work that day because he has no way of ensuring he makes it back in time and any missed tests count against him. His boss has been very understanding and is trying to get my husband as much work as he can, but right now my husband is essentially on-call.

EDIT 2: The color line makes the drug tests randomized. If someone is an active user and has their color called, they will get caught 9/10. It's not a perfect system, since some drugs metabolize out of your body very quickly, but it can't be cheated. My husband's color was blue, which is once weekly, but it was recently switched to purple which is 2 to 3 times monthly. Hopefully it'll allow him to work more often but we'll see.c