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Welcome to HCCA's Newsletter
Volume 1, Issue 7
Newsletter goal: provide local community members with resources to connect with others and improve lives.
This issue's focus:
Home Heating Assistance #2
HCCA publishes an e-newsletter on Home Heating Assistance and related topics once a month in December, January, February and March and relies on articles from you.
Please send any Home Heating and related topic 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. - Thank you, Joanne |
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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, Vice Chair
Kathi Wall
Jim Wood, Secretary
Joanne Joy, Director
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HCCA Towns
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Augusta
Chelsea
Farmingdale
Fayette
Gardiner
Hallowell
Litchfield
Manchester
Monmouth
Mount Vernon
Pittston
Randolph
Readfield
Richmond
Vienna
Wayne
West Gardiner
Windsor
Winthrop
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| 2-1-1 |
 One of Maine's greatest resources, 2-1-1, 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. |
Kennebec Valley Heating Assistance Guide
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The United Way of Kennebec Valley in conjunction with the members of the Kennebec Valley Heating Concerns Group compiled information and created a guide for resources that includes:
- Program Name
- Type of Help
- What You Can Receive
- Who Qualifies
- Where to Call
- Other Notes
This is an excellent, easy to understand resource that all social service providers, municipalities and others who support neighbors in need can use. Contact the United Way of Kennebec Valley for copies at 626-3400 or call Healthy Communities of the Capital Area at 588-5012. |
| Heat Helpers |
As of December 19th Heat Helpers for Southern Kennebec County had raised $41,660. The funds will begin to be distributed after January 1st. Please contact Goodwill Industries - Dan Vigue at 207 626-0170. Be sure to apply for LIHEAP before you contact Dan if possible.
Goodwill also helps with finding jobs, rent, CMP disconnects.
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Help is Here -
LIHEAP, ECIP, CHIP - This Alphabet Soup Can Warm Your Home!
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LIHEAP helps both homeowners and renters with their heating costs. Household income must be lower than 200% of the poverty level. (This equals about $2,334 per month for a family of 2.) If anyone in the household is over age 60, below age 2, or has a health condition that puts them at risk of hypothermia then the income limit can be higher - 230% of poverty level. (This equals about $2,684 per month for a family of 2.)
If heat is included in your rent, you can still get help. If you apply and get even a little bit of help, then your monthly Food Supplement benefit may go up. If you get LIHEAP then you may also get lower electric rates.
You apply for LIHEAP through your local Community Action Program. Bring the following to the interview:
1. Proof of income
2. Name of your heating vendor (who sells you oil, for instance)
3. Your CMP account number - you may be eligible for assistance
4. Your telephone number.
5. Your Social Security number
Once you are accepted for the LIHEAP program, you may be able to receive the following programs if needed:
Emergency Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP)
You can get this help once per heating season for emergency fuel or to avoid electricity cut-off. You must get LIHEAP to get ECIP.
Weatherization and Furnace Repair or Replacement (CHIP)
This program gives grants to home owners and renters for weatherization and 0r repair or replacement of central heating systems The guidelines are the same as LIHEAP
Where to apply:
Your local Kennebec Valley Community Action Agency in:
Augusta: 622-4761; Skowhegan: 474-8487; Waterville: 859-1500
Did you know...
LIHEAP and other Heat Helper funds can also pay for wood. KVCAP has a list of approved wood dealers.
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Stay Warm - Prevent Hypothermia!
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| Many people are turning the heat down.
Here are some suggestions to stay healthy:
- Dress in layers.
- Wear a warm hat - 30% of heat loss is through the head.
- Wear a scarf and gloves.
- Try to keep one room in the house warm.
- Drink plenty of fluids and warm/hot drinks
- Eat regular balanced meals to give you energy - good nutrition is important.
- Keep active when it's cold, but not to the point where you're sweating.
- Keep dry and change out of wet clothes as soon as possible.
Cautions
- Cut down on alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, since all three cause heat loss.
- Ask your doctor if you are on any medications that affect your ability to maintain a steady body temperature (such as neuroleptic medications and sedative hypnotics).
Find out more at the www.maine.gov Stay Healthy This Winter Website.
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| General Assistance (GA) |
All towns and cities have a General Assistance Program. This helps with basic necessities, like housing, fuel, food, utilities, clothing, and medical expenses.You must be very low-income. You many need to prove that you have spent your money on basic necessities
What to Bring to a
General Assistance Interview
1.
Proof of Income
2.
List of all expenses
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Any Bank Accounts
Call DHHS at 1-800-422-6003 if you have trouble applying |
Avoid Disconnection of Services!
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MAKE THE CALL
If you receive a disconnect notice, call CMP
immediately. This call triggers a report
to the PUC, Public Utilities Commission.
The case then is reviewed and the electricity will stay on in most cases
at least through the review.
Disconnects and Cycle Disconnects (heat on just overnight
and off during the day) do happen in the winter, but can be avoided by calling
CMP.
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Town Specific Programs:
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 Round up to Warm Up! Readfield residents: Round up your payment at the Town Office- the extra change is added to a Discretionary Heating Assistance Fund. This fund helps those in our community who do not qualify for other heating assistance programs. Warm your hearts and someone's home with just a little bit of change.
Winthrop Seniors.......
There has been a generous donation to Winthrop to help
keep Seniors warm this winter. Contact
Donna at the Winthrop General Assistance office directly at 207 377-7200
extension 7. Leave a message, this line is checked often.
Also in Winthrop, New Library Windows Provide Efficiency Upgrades 
Since
1985, the Bailey Library building has been on the registry of National
Historic Places. Any updates to the building have to be in strict
adherence to registry standards.
With the
help of the town and the board of trustees the C.M. Bailey Library
raised money to purchase and install the new windows. Working with
Hammond Lumber, Marvin Windows and local contractor S.J. Wood, the
windows were carefully chosen, right down to the color of the stain,
and installed. Estimated fuel oil savings are expected to be $500-$600
annually.
Stop by the library and see the newest addition to this historic building.
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| 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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Karen Tucker
Healthy Communities of the Capital Area towns are:
Augusta, Chelsea, Farmingdale, Fayette, Gardiner, Hallowell, Litchfield, Manchester, Monmouth, Mount Vernon, Pittston, Randolph, Readfield, Richmond, Vienna, Wayne, West Gardiner, Windsor, Winthrop
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