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Welcome to HCCA's Newsletter
Volume 2, Issue 4
Newsletter goal: provide local community members with resources to connect with others and improve lives.
This issue's focus:
Home Heating Assistance #3 February
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 ktucker@mcd.orgalong 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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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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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 |
Heat Helpers for Southern Kennebec County continues to raise money and as of 2/6/09, $46,000 is available with nearly half that being designated for seniors. Please contact Goodwill Industries - Dan Vigue at 207 626-0170. Be sure to apply for LIHEAP before you contact Dan, if possible. For more information about LIHEAP and other programs, see articles below.
Goodwill also helps with finding jobs, rent, CMP disconnects.
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Town FUNdraisers for Heating $$:
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Events in many communities Provide local heating help with oil, wood and propane!
Bottle collections: Many towns are collecting returnable bottles at town transfer stations, so check with yours!
Winthrop Chili Throwdown!! 5 p.m. Saturday, February 28th at the Winthrop High School
This will be a fundraiser for Home Heaters. Chili, breads, baked goods and more. Come one, come all!
Vassalboro Food Pantry will be sponsoring a Talent Show to benefit the Fuel Fund in early spring. Keep tuned for more information.
In Chelsea, the school and Grange are teaming up to present a Friday evening of food and music to be held in conjunction with a sports event this spring that will benefit the Fuel Fund. Watch for details.
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Resources for Warm Savings
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Capital Area Housing Association: If you are a Landlord of 1 to 10 unit buildings in the Capital Area, contact CAHA to learn about saving money on fuel. www.caha4u.org
PineTree legal: A wealth of information for renters and landlords is just a click or phone call away at www.ptla.org
Keep Me Warm Emergency fund for fuel is for up to any two types of heating per single household: wood, oil, kerosene, electricity, coal. This is distributed locally by KVCAP. Tel: 1-800-542-8227 or info@kvcap.org
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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
3.
Any Bank Accounts
Call DHHS at 1-800-422-6003 if you have trouble applying |
| 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. |
LIHEAP, ECIP, CHIP - There is still time to apply for this year.
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Interviews are still being scheduled: Call (207)622-4761 or (207)859-1500
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.
Applications for LIHEAP are accepted until April 30th this year.
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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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| 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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