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Board of Directors
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Mary Frances Bartlett
Rebecca West Dick, Chair
Cindy T. Flye
Rob Gordon
Chuck Hays, Treasurer
Bill McKenna
William McPeck
Kathi Wall
Jim Wood, Secretary
Joanne Joy, Executive Director
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Towns of HCCA
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Welcome to HCCA's Newsletter
Volume One, Issue 4
Enhancing the quality of life in our communities is central to our purpose. The newsletter goals are to provide you with resources to connect with others and ways to improve lives.
Each Issue will focus on a different topic and activities.
This issue's focus:
Home Heating Assistance
HCCA will publish an e-newsletter on Home Heating Assistance and Relate Topics once a month in December, January, February and March and will rely on articles from you.
Please send in Home Heating and Related Topics articles to j.joy@healthycommunitiesme.org along with your contact information. HCCA will publish news of fund raisers, food pantry and hot meal offerings, special town collections & events, and other articles related broadly to helping our neighbors this winter. |
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Home Heating Assistance
Maine citizens worried about the high cost of keeping warm this winter will find very little comfort from the Farmers' Almanac, which predicts below-average temperatures for most of the United States. If you find you or someone you know needs assistance with heat this winter there are some resources for you to check out.
LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides money to help low-income homeowners and renters pay for heating costs.
The following website provides a summary of the program, eligibility requirements and directions on how to apply. You can also call Karyn Wheeler, Energy Assistant, at KVCAP at (207) 624-5778.
In Maine, 211 is the first source to check for heating and related assistance! Governor Baldacci has designated this as the single point of entry for heating assistance. 2-1-1 is a telephone number that connects people 24/7 with important community services and volunteer opportunities. Trained individuals answer the phone and assist with requests.
Every day hundreds of people need essential human services - they are looking for training, employment, food pantries, help for an aging parent, addiction prevention programs for their teenage children, affordable housing options, support groups, home heating assistance and more, as well as ways of becoming part of their community. 2-1-1 allows people to give help and to get help.
Although there is a 211 website at www.211maine.org, people are urged to call the phone number.
Heat Helpers
Heat Helpers is a partnership among the United Way of Kennebec Valley and leaders of surrounding communities joining together to assist our neighbors in need during the current fuel crisis in Maine. Goodwill Industries of Northern New England and the United Way of Kennebec Valley are teaming up to manage the Heat Helpers funds for families who are in emergency situations and are a "last resort" support for heating resources this winter.
The Fraternal Order of Police are currently distributing 1,000 orange and blue canisters (labeled "Heat Helpers") in area businesses across southern Kennebec County. We encourage you to give what you can and help your neighbors in need.
For more information about Heat Helpers, to make a greater gift, or to designate a community of your choice to receive the assistance, please call the United Way of Kennebec Valley office at 626-3400.
Oil Heat Program (Maine):
The following website provides a list of other heating assistance services in the state of Maine. Remember, to qualify for any of the programs on this website you must fill out a LIHEAP application.
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Keep ME Warm Kits
Get 'em while they last!
On October 25th, volunteer groups from throughout Kennebec County came to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension office in Augusta to pick up home weatherization kits. The kits were provided by Governor Baldacci's Office of Energy Independence and the Maine State Housing Authority. Volunteer groups used the kits to help residents tighten up their homes for the winter and save on energy costs. Kits include:
-Spray foam insulation
-Rope calking
-Weather stripping
-Sheet plastic
-Lath
-Nails
-A low flow showerhead and sink aerators
-Pipe insulation
-Compact florescent light bulbs
University of Maine Cooperative Extension still has some kits left. If you would like to get one of the kits for your home, or would like to help an elderly neighbor or others in need, please call 622-7546 to schedule a time to pick up kits. The only thing you need to provide is a list of names, addresses and phone numbers for those who will receive the kits.
Alan D. Majka
Assistant Extension Professor
University of Maine Cooperative Extension |
Understanding General Assistance
Where to find General Assistance General Assistance is a program administered by all 493 municipalities. Anyone can apply in the municipality where they live, at the municipal office.
The hours that General Assistance applications are taken vary by municipalities. Call your municipal office to see when you can apply. If you have an emergency outside of regular office hours, you can call 211. Municipalities are required to post their emergency contact information at the municipal office where the information can be seen 24/7 and to provide the information to DHHS who supplies it to 211.
What General Assistance Can Provide General Assistance can assist with basic necessities such as rent, utilities, food, and fuel.
Who is Eligible Eligibility is decided by the General Assistance director based on the information in 2 income budgets. The first budget compares the household income to the Overall Maximum. If the household income is more than the maximum, the house is denied unless there is an emergency. If the household's income is less than the Overall Maximum or there is an emergency the director does an unmet need budget where the household expenses at looked at.
Being without fuel in the winter months could be considered an emergency if the household does not have another way to obtain fuel.
When the Applicant Will Know if They are Eligible The municipality has to make a decision to grant or deny within 24 hours.
What If the Applicant Has Questions about the Decision
If a person applies for General Assistance and has questions about the decision, he or she should call the DHHS hotline at 1-800-442-6003. The Department does not determine eligibility but the person on the hotline will look into the decision.
Cindy Boyd, DHHS
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City of Augusta
Mary Francis Bartlett
626-2325
General Assistance - housing, fuel, lights, food etc.
City of Gardiner
Dolores Daoust
582-1000
General Assistance
Winthrop General Assistance
Donna Staples
377-7200
Basic Necessities - housing, food, electric
Department of Health and Human Services
Cindy Boyd
1-800-442-6003
Hotline to answer questions on Oil
Department of Health and Human Services
Holly Stover
624-8009 or 557-0808
Serves as DHHS energy liaison for all Maine people in need of services get timely responses.
Winthrop United Methodist Church
Rev. Don Hegeman
377-8620
Home Heating Help in Winthrop Area, also a food and warming station.
Central Maine Power
Ann Brooks
1-800-750-4000
Electric utility Service low income program
Goodwill
Dan Vigue
626-0170
Oil assistance, Non-Oil Assistance, for emergencies
Salvation Army
Chris Williams
623-3792
Heating Assistance, Utility Assistance, and Food Pantry
VMA Fuel Fund
Sharon Balnites
314-5513
Emergency Fuel Assistance |
Coats for Kids Program:
Davis Insurance Agency in Monmouth is collecting coats, hats & mittens for the Coats for Kids Program. Donations can be made at the Litchfield Town Office or Davis Insurance Agency, Main St., Monmouth - donations need to be in by December 1st. |
Mount Vernon Food Bank
 The Food Bank is located at the First Baptist Church in Mount Vernon Village. It is open every Saturday morning from 10am to 12pm and is supported by the schools, churches and individuals from the area. Those who are not in need of the food service can become supporters of the Food Bank with taxdeductable checks made payable to the Mt. Vernon Food Bank.
If you are in need of help during off hours, please call:
Betty White 293-2273
Henry Silz 293-2317
Irene Wadleigh 293-2308 | |
Thank you for your time and attention. Please contact us if we can be of assistance in supporting your southern Kennebec communities' quality of life!
We hope you found the information presented here useful and informative. Please send comments and suggestions for improvement to the contact information below.
Sincerely,
Joanne E.A. Joy, Director &
Cameron Gray, Intern from University of Maine at Farmington
Healthy Communities of the Capital Area
Karen Tucker, Project Coordinator
All our newsletters are permission only. You are receiving this because we have an established relationship with you. If you do not want to receive future newsletters, please activate the "safeunsubscribe"link at the end of the newsletter. |
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