By Patrick Mcardle
RUTLAND HERALD
With bitterly cold weather already affecting Vermont, leaders of community action agencies want residents to know resources are available to help them stay warm through the winter.
Sue Minter, executive director of Capstone Community Action, which serves Washington, Orange and Lamoille counties, said the agency has money provided by the state and local government as well as money they raise themselves to help people with whatever they need to heat their homes whether it’s natural gas, wood, electric or some other source.
The money raised from philanthropic donors helps to meet the needs of Vermonters who might not qualify for government assistance.
“Those needs right now are constant. I just spoke with a receptionist who in the last hour received five or six calls. So people are in real need right now. … Often people aren’t thinking, ‘Gee, is my tank full?’ and they often come to us when it’s empty. We heard about someone calling in tears. People are afraid. They’re alone. Many are elderly. Many are mobility impaired. We really do want people to know that we’re here for them, and they just need to give us a call,” Minter said Wednesday.
Staff at Capstone can help anyone who calls navigate the system to find the help they need. She said that for the programs that are government funded, the applicant must be income eligible.
The funding from private donors is also important because some of those who need help with fuel might risk their other benefits if they accepted other government assistance, Minter added.
Tom Donahue, CEO of BROC Community Action, which serves Rutland and Bennington counties, said their heating fuel assistance program began in November but will continue through April 8 so there is time to apply and get help.
There is still capacity and Donahue expects the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding to last through winter because the amount provided to the community action agencies was increased because of the pandemic.
Donahue said BROC has already gotten almost 100 applications and provided almost $85,000 in fuel assistance but has more than $300,000 to allocate to those in need.
“We feel we’re in a pretty good place to assist. I’ve got full-time staff working on it every day, and we stand ready,” he said.
Much of the assistance BROC provides comes from payments made directly to the fuel dealers.
Donahue called it a “smooth, smooth process that takes that element of payment out of the middle” because area fuel dealers, who generally have a relationship with BROC, will accept a purchase order and deliver the fuel knowing the agency will pay for the material, which Donahue said “accelerates the delivery of the oil or other heating source.”
Minter said Capstone can sometimes run through all the money provided by government sources when providing heating assistance but said that’s why they raise funding on their own, using campaigns like “Wheels for Warmth” or “Fuel Your Neighbors” so “we don’t have to say ‘no’ to people.”
“Our goal is to serve everyone in need (who) reaches out to us,” Minter said.
Like Capstone, BROC does fundraising to get discretionary funding. Donahue said BROC often uses that money to help people who are just over the income cap but who still find it challenging to pay for heating fuel.
Donahue said residents should be aware that the program can help some people with electric bills, even if electric isn’t there primary heating source, because some systems — furnaces for example — still require electricity to run.
“Even though you might not be out of oil, if you’re in arrears on your electric and disconnected or have a disconnect notice, we can actually utilize it toward that electric so that your furnace runs,” he said.
Minter noted that for some Vermonters, there can be a stigma about calling a community action organization like Capstone or BROC because of their pride.
“I want to make sure that people know, we are here to help. No problem is too big or too small, and that’s what we’re all about,” she said.
Donahue added that community action agencies planned for the assistance they offered so no one who was considering asking for help should worry that getting some assistance would deprive anyone else in need.
Minter said a related service can help with weatherization of an applicant’s home to reduce energy use and “Financial and Energy Coaching,” a new program, being implemented by all the community action agencies in Vermont, can help educate clients about their energy use so they can take their own steps to be more efficient.
“We’re thinking upstream. We’re thinking about not just giving people crisis services but helping them understand how best to be less reliant on the support we are able to give in the future,” Minter said.
Capstone can be reached at 800-639-1053 or at capstonevt.org online. BROC can be reached at 802-775-0878 or online at broc.org online.
For emergency fuel assistance from the Capstone or BROC service areas outside of normal business hours, call 866-331-7741.
Donahue said the heating material is generally provided within a day to those in need.
“It’s a crisis situation, and we treat it accordingly,” he said.
Information about donating to Fuel Your Neighbors can be found at tinyurl.com/2p9e6bjj.
Disclosure: Executive Editor Steven Pappas serves as chair of the board of directors of Capstone Community Action.
patrick.mcardle @rutlandherald.com
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