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Welcome to HCCA's Newsletter
Volume 2, Issue 9
Newsletter goal: provide local community members with resources to connect with others and improve lives.
This issue's focus:
Home Heating Assistance #4 March
The crocus's are up and so, this is HCCA's final e-newsletter on Home Heating Assistance and related topics for this winter! We will offer a newsletter with this focus after the leaves fall in November.
Please continue to send any Home Heating and related topic articles to ktucker@mcd.org along with your contact information, as we will include them in our general newsletter through out the summer.
To
learn more about HCCA visit www.healthycommunitiesme.org |
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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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Heating and Weatherization Help is Still Available
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There are heating funds available to:
- pay increased electric bills due to heating with electricity
- weatherize your home to save on heating costs
- pay for wood to heat your home
- have oil delivered even if you are not completely out of oil
- help feed those over 60 years of age
- be sure that you have fuel to heat water - even in the summer!
Dial 211 to find out how to receive the funds.
LiHeap is accepting application through April 30th, it is not too late to apply!
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Shopping Around for Oil Pays Off
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A reader shares this advice:
Lots of folks don't stop to consider that oil prices can
vary greatly from dealer to dealer. Most
often people stay with the 'full service' oil companies but can pay quite a premium
to do so. Another option is to pay for
oil from an oil supplier and contract separately with an independent heating
specialist. To compare oil prices from
several suppliers in your area, go on-line to www.maineoil.com. You can choose your area, choose your
supplier, call to confirm the price, and save!
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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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Calling all Talent!!
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Correction: Vassalboro Ministry Association (not the Food Pantry) will be sponsoring a talent show "Vassalboro's Got Talent!" to benefit the Fuel Fund. Here are the details:
Location: East Vassalboro Grange
Date and Time: May 2nd from 7 pm to 9 pm.
Donation: A suggested donation of $5 will be collected at the door.
They are looking for talent to round out an already impressive line-up, which includes one of the best jugglers in the country! If
you are interested in performing that evening (you don't need
to be from Vassalboro), please contact Dick Kelly at
622-8792.
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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!
Chelsea Cares sponsored a successfull Chile and chowder dinner to benefit the heating fund, The event took place at the Chelsea School in conjunction with teacher conferences. Three lucky people went home with one of the raffled door prizes of two gas grills and one picnic table. The evening was enjoyed by all while raising needed funds for a great cause.
The Chelsea Cares fund will sponsor another fundraising event later in the year. Watch for details.
Bottle collections: Many towns are collecting returnable bottles at town transfer stations and donating the proceeds to the town heating fund. Check to see if your town is one of them!
If your town's heating fund is holding a fundraiser, let us know and we will help get the word out! E-mail Karen at ktucker@mcd.org or call 588-5012.
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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. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
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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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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| 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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