Agencies Say Heating Assistance Funds Are Low

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(Host) As the cold weather approaches, there are growing concerns that low income people will have trouble paying their heating bills.

As VPR’s John Dillon reports, the state’s two main emergency fuel programs are almost out of money.

(Dillon) Anti-poverty agencies like the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity use private funds to assist households that can’t pay their heating bills.

But now those funds have run dry. Tim Searles, a longtime Champlain Valley O-E-O worker, says it’s the worst situation he’s seen in 21 years.

(Searles) "Normally we are able to carry forward and raise enough resources during the off season to get us through October and November before the federal LIHEAP federal funded programs start up. That is definitely not the case this year. We do not have the resources to help people with fuel and utilities emergencies this October."

(Dillon) Searles says that one fund, the statewide Warmth program, has just a few hundred dollars available. A second fund called the Shareheat program serves customers of Central Vermont Public Service – and it has a deficit of several thousand dollars.

Searles says there are two reasons for the problems this fall. One is that fuel assistance programs saw increased demand because of the recession.

(Searles) "The other factor is that people who used to have resources to give to programs like this don’t in these tough economic times.And in fact, some of the people who used to give are probably seeking assistance now."

(Dillon) Both programs are supported by donations. CVPS matches each dollar given with a corporate donation as well.

Searles says the funds are needed to help people until federal fuel assistance money becomes available later in the heating season.

(Searles) "Well, I’m very concerned that given the situation we have now going into the heating season the lack of resources in October and November will translate into no heat situations and utility disconnections that we could have avoided …"

(Dillon) Donations to the Warmth and Shareheat programs go directly to buy fuel for low-income households. Searles says none of the donated funds is used to pay for overhead or administration costs.

For VPR News, I’m John Dillon in Montpelier.

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