JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (WGEM) - It costs money to keep the lights on, the water running and the heat circulating. For over 100,000 Missouri families, that money comes from the federal government.

Many turned on their heat for the first time this weekend. But for the 6 million American families that rely on federal assistance to keep the heat on, the government shutdown could be delaying their utility payments. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, assists families living in poverty with paying utility bills, and for many states it’s on pause until Congress reaches a funding deal.

Missouri’s LIHEAP is not on pause. Megan Bania is the executive director of Missouri Community Action Network, which operates 17 LIHEAP distributors around the state. Bania explains Missouri’s p

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