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BUTLER COUNTY — Lily Lawson, 52, of Hamilton survives on a monthly Social Security check of $824.

More than half of that — $500 — goes toward rent.

With temperatures dipping, Lawson expects her heating bill to hover around $400 a month or more as it did last winter, even though she keeps her thermostat at 52 degrees regardless of how cold it gets.

"The highest (bill) was $402 and that's freezing at 52 degrees,'' said Lawson, who was one of about 2,500 Butler County residents last year to receive Home Energy Assistance Program funds to get through the winter.

But with the sagging economy and rising fuel costs, Support to Encourage Low Income Families and other community aid agencies predict an increase in need and worry they won't be able to meet the demand.

Representatives from SELF and about 30 other agencies gathered this week to prepare for the worst. Officials discussed creating heating centers and other tactics to prevent low-income residents from being left in the cold.

The Ohio Consumer Council's Benjamin Machado calmed fears, saying gas and electric bills are expected to rise only 6 percent and not 50 percent as predicted months ago.

Still, SELF Director Jeff Diver said any increase will be a painful blow to those with limited or fixed incomes who are struggling with other rising costs. Diver said some families will choose between whether to "heat or eat.''

Deb Walters of Butler County 211 said the help hot line has been receiving dozens of calls a day for utility assistance since August.

HEAP is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For more information about HEAP, call SELF at (513) 868-9300. For additional help, contact Butler County 211.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2180 or tlatta@coxohio.com.