Qualifications for WAFF Assistance
The Salvation Army disburses WAFF assistance through its 11 offices located throughout the Washington metropolitan area from January 1 – May 31. See the information on this page (or here) for details on office location and qualifications for those seeking help.
- You must live in the District of Columbia; in Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s or St. Mary’s Counties in Maryland; or in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William Counties, or the Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church, in Virginia. You must apply to The Salvation Army office in the city or county in which you live.
- Your eligibility does not depend on whether you heat with natural gas, electricity, oil, coal, wood, kerosene or another heating fuel.
- To be eligible, you must be in an emergency
situation and no longer eligible for any
government energy assistance programs.
This means you have received already the
maximum assistance from such programs.
You also must meet WAFF income guidelines.
- If you are a gas or electric heating customer, you must have received already a termination notice or warning of future disconnection from the utility providing the primary source of heat. WAFF pays for the primary heating source.
- If you heat with oil, coal, wood, kerosene or another fuel, you must demonstrate that you do not have funds to purchase fuel and cannot buy fuel on credit.
- Funds should be used principally for the payment of heating bills, but they also may be used for the purchase and installation of low-cost energy conservation measures.
- Income and family size are the primary tests of eligibility for WAFF assistance, but they are not the only ones. Income guidelines are revised annually to reflect cost of living increases.
- Once eligibility for WAFF assistance is established, The Salvation Army will issue a check for the appropriate amount and mail it directly to your utility company or supplier.
- The Salvation Army will administer the distribution of WAFF funds to residential heating customers following these guidelines, but not treating them as rigid rules. Remember: Before seeking financial assistance from WAFF, you first must have obtained help from federal, state and local government energy assistance programs. When these sources are not enough, there is WAFF. When and Where to Apply Applications are accepted from January 1 through May 31. To apply for help from the fund, you must use The Salvation Army office in the county or city where you live. Office locations are listed below.
Remember: Before seeking financial assistance from WAFF, you first must have obtained help from federal, state and local government energy assistance programs. When these sources are not enough, there is WAFF.
Office Locations
Washington, DC
The Salvation Army
Social Services
Department
1434 Harvard St., NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 332-5000
OR
2300 Martin Luther
King, Jr. Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20020
(202) 678-9771
Maryland
Calvert & Charles
Counties
Salvation Army Service
Unit at Children’s Aid
Society
300 Huntington Cir.
Waldorf, MD 20602
(301) 645-1561
Montgomery County
Montgomery County
Salvation Army
20021 Aircraft Dr.
Germantown, MD
20874
(301) 515-5354
Prince George’s County
Prince George’s County
Salvation Army
4825 Edmonston Rd.
Hyattsville, MD 20781
(301) 277-6103
St. Mary’s County
Associated Catholic
Charities
21506 Colton Point Rd.
Avenue, MD 20609
(301) 769-2788
Virginia
City of Alexandria
Alexandria Salvation
Army
107 E. Bellefonte Ave.
Alexandria, VA 22301
(703) 548-0579
Arlington County
Arlington County
Salvation Army
518 S. Glebe Rd.
Arlington, VA 22204
(703) 979-3380
Fairfax County
Fairfax
City & Falls Church
Fairfax County
Salvation Army
4915 Ox Rd.
Fairfax, VA 22030
(703) 385-8700
Loudoun County
Loudoun County
Salvation Army
12 Cardinal Park Dr.
Leesburg, VA 20175
(703) 771-3371
Prince William County
Prince William
Salvation Army
4343-A Ridgewood
Center Dr.
Woodbridge, VA 22192