Fuel aid warms many

During these winter months, the cost of heating homes weighs heavily on the minds of many Maine residents. This year, although there is good news because fuel costs are lower than in recent years, there is still a significant demand for assistance.
The Washington Hancock Community Agency (WHCA) administers the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps pay for home heating costs. Benefits are based on a percentage of federal poverty levels. Lee Hardison, energy services provider for WHCA, says as of December 29, "We're doing very well in the Downeast region. We're working steadily and have had 3,000 applications in Washington and Hancock counties, and we're still encouraging people to call for an appointment."
"It can take 30 business days to process," she stresses. "It's as tedious for us as it is for them, but we have to verify everything." She adds, "The average benefit is $720, but it has varied from $21 to $2,600."
"I've been doing this for 29 years," notes Hardison. "I want to assist people who find it hard to make ends meet. I know every little bit of financial help is important to people who need heating fuel."
Supplementing LIHEAP in emergencies is the Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP). To qualify from ECIP, a household must have less than one-eighth of a tank of oil or about to be disconnected. ECIP can provide a minimum delivery not exceeding $400 of emergency assistance in life-threatening situations.
WHCA also administers The Heating and Warmth (THAW) Fund to help people stay warm. Funds raised from the community assist people who may be just outside the LIHEAP program eligibility requirements or who have exhausted all other options to heat their homes. People recently out of work due to plant closures and layoffs or who don't qualify for other home energy assistance programs may be eligible for THAW if funds are available at the time they apply. A typical THAW fund recipient gets a 100-gallon emergency delivery of heating fuel, so $500 will help a family through an emergency heating crisis.

Local fund needs donations
The Community Food Assistance Fund in the Eastport area has given out $5,000 to six recipients, "and we're just keeping ahead of demand," stresses Colin Windhorst, president of the Greater Eastport Ecumenical Churches Association (GEECA), which oversees the fund.
"There have been some generous [financial] gifts from churches, individuals and organizations, and every penny is used wisely," he reports. "We very much depend on the help of concerned citizens."
The fund recently was able to help a woman with two small children, who thought that she was keeping track of the 50 gallons of heating oil she'd purchased for her rental home. "They ran out and were piling coats and blankets on to try to stay warm," says Windhorst.
"We're not here to sustain people," he stresses. "We're there for emergencies."
"GEECA does a wonderful job of being discreet and goes above and beyond to assist people," says Eastport City Manager Elaine Abbott of the fuel fund. "A lot of those applying are elderly, and we know that asking for help is very painful for a lot of recipients, but it makes the difference between staying warm and not staying warm."
"Because people are so self-conscious, we make sure everything is easy and confidential so that they are in and out very quickly," she stresses. "We will give recipients the voucher for their fuel company when they come in, but we know that some people are homebound, so we will fax it for them."
"Funds are limited, but we do everything possible to help," sums up Abbott.
The fuel assistance fund is compensated by the Salvation Army voucher system, and the field secretaries are Colin and Ron Windhorst in Dennysville, who can be reached at 726-3905; Tami Dinsmore at the Regional Medical Center at Lubec at 733-5541; Ella Kowal at Eastport City Hall at 853-2300; and Pastor David Peterson in Robbinston at 454-0596.
Tax-free donations may be sent to the Community Fuel Assistance Fund, care of the Greater Eastport Ecumenical Churches Association, P.O. Box 250, Eastport, ME 04631.

Calais funds need replenishing
The small heating assistance fund for Calais residents at the Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry is almost empty, says Sherry Sivret of St. Anne's Episcopal Church. "We had $3,500 at the beginning of November, but we are down to nothing."
"We have helped 26 people with emergency food assistance by purchasing 50 gallons of fuel for them. With fuel prices lower than last year, that has come out to an average payment of $115."
Recipients include many elderly and disabled residents, as well as "people working part-time jobs where it's not easy for them to come in and ask for help."
"It's still early in the winter, and we've gotten calls from people in Baileyville and had to say we don't have any assistance to give them," adds Sivret. "And we do have families with six or seven children applying, and it's really tough to say 'I don't have anything.'"
Anyone wishing to send a financial donation to the fuel fund can send it to the Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry, P.O. Box 1005, Calais, ME 04619, or call St. Anne's Episcopal Church at 454-8016.

Other assistance in county
The Lubec Senior Fuel Fund is administered by the Town of Lubec and was created to help residents who are at least 60 years old, don't qualify for general assistance and have exhausted all assistance from other agencies such as LIHEAP. Carol Dennison, chair of the Lubec Select Board, reports that five of the nine applicants have received 75 gallons of heating oil so far this winter.
The program runs from September 1 to May, and people are not turned away if they need more than one delivery of oil during the cold months.
Although the Machias Food Pantry has given out heating assistance in the past, this is the second year in a row when there were no monies available for that charity.