A cold reality for Montanans who rely on help with their heating bills: They won't get those funds for months, even if the government shutdown ends immediately.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helped nearly 15,000 Montanans pay their energy bills last year.

Heather Grenier, president and CEO of the nonprofit HRDC, which helps administer heating assistance funding in southwest Montana, said consumers should be prepared for the delay.

"We're looking at probably January or February before those benefits are there," Grenier pointed out. "People will be well into the heating season by that time, and potentially behind on their heating bills already."

Grenier noted it will take time to appropriate the money on the federal level, then distribute it to the states, and then to the people who need it. The average heating assistance benefit in Montana was around $750 last year.

Grenier stressed for qualifying households, it is a crucial lifeline. She added it will quickly follow the lapse in SNAP benefits as a real crisis this winter, as people make trade-offs to pay the bills.

"Are they forgoing really important medications so that they can pay their heat bill so they don't lose their housing? Are they forgoing food, proper nutrition in order to be able to do that?" Grenier asked.

Grenier acknowledged while they have been monitoring potential cuts to the program for a while, they did not anticipate significant delays until further into the shutdown. She added they have been talking with fuel vendors about the processing and benefit delays. They are also reaching out to people in the program to help them through.

"Helping families understand and how to budget and plan for that," Grenier underscored. "And how maybe they can come get some extra food from us in that time to offset their heating budget."