A federal agency announced Monday that Mississippi is receiving $19.8 million of federal stimulus money to help make nearly 5,500 homes more energy efficient.

The U.S. Department of Energy says the focus is on reaching homes of the elderly and disabled, families with children and homes than use an above-average amount of energy. The money is for single-family homes rather than apartments.

The state Department of Human Services will make the help available to people earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, about $44,000 a year for a family of four.

The $19.8 million is about 40 percent of the $49 million in home energy efficiency money Mississippi is set to receive from the stimulus package.