By Emma Bouthillette 

Staff Writer

While it may not be cold enough to turn the heat on just yet, organizations across the state are spreading the word about preparing for winter and applying for assistance. 

“We are trying to educate people to avoid emergencies,” Kennebunkport General Assistance Administrator Judy Barrett said. “Residents have to accept responsibility and not wait until February to ask for help.”

Maine Housing Authority Manager of Energy and Housing Joanne Choate said while they served nearly 50,000 homes with heating assistance last winter, they are budgeting for a total of 78,000 households this winter.

“We provide on average $557 per household, but we are concerned that will not be enough,” Choate said. 

She said the Maine Housing Authority is anticipating an additional 28,000 households due to the combination of a weak economy and rising fuel prices. Last winter, she said the average income of families assisted was $13,000. The average house requires about 860 gallons of oil for heat, Choate said. 

“With high cost of oil this year, the need is greater than the funds,” she said. 

Keeping Neighbors Warm, a non-profit organization that serves residents in nine communities in York County, was initiated by the residents impacted by the loss of prepaid oil when Veilleux Oil, Perron Oil and Price Right Oil claimed bankruptcy in January 2008, said Biddeford General Assistance Administrator Vicky Edgerly. Since this spring, the group has been meeting each month with the goal to raise money and work together with the towns’ general assistance administrators to provide assistance to those who do not qualify for traditional programs. 

“We’ve raised close to $50,000 and have helped residents providing them once with 100 gallons of oil,” Edgerly said. 

She said the 100 gallons of fuel has been enough to get people through until they find other financial resources. Meanwhile she said, residents should be vigilant in monitoring their oil tanks and amount of oil used. Keeping Neighbors Warm is not equipped for emergency deliveries, and she said people should call their town’s general assistance administrator before their oil tank goes below one-quarter full. 

Buxton contact for Keeping Neighbors Warm Dianne Senechal said the program assesses income, and number of people living in the house, then compares it with general assistance guidelines.

“If they are making $44,000 a year, or trying to pay off a four-wheeler, we are going to question their need,” Senechal said.  

Kennebunk Social Services Director Wanda Cannell said while general assistance programs assess income, they also check where their money is going. Senechal said money residents seeking assistance spend has to be mostly dedicated to rent, food, light and heat to be considered for assistance.

Besides seeking assistance for fuel costs, Choate said the Maine Housing Authority recommends winterizing homes to help reduce the amount of fuel used. She said some of the steps in winterizing homes include plugging any holes that may be letting cold air in, cleaning and tuning the heating system, as well as covering windows with plastic or using door sweeps to eliminate the breeze from under a loose door. 

“We encourage people to tighten up their homes during the winter because it can save up to 20 percent in fuel costs,” Choate said. 

For those in need of extra financial assistance, United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Area Director in Scarborough William Bailey said the agency is offering 1 percent flat interest rate loans for up to 20 years to very low-income families, and the money can be used to improve heating systems or insulation in homes. 

“The biggest thing is to do whatever to keep the amount of oil down,” Bailey said. “While the loan is typically used for health and sanitary purposes, more people are using it to install additional insulation, pellet stoves or replace roofs. A lot of people who have very outdated heating systems it can cost anywhere between $3,000 to $5,000 for a new system.”

Every community is required to provide general assistance to households that do not have sufficient income to meet their needs, Barrett said. She said residents who are in need of assistance or interested in information are encouraged to contact their municipality’s general assistance office.

For more information on assistance or to apply for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program in York County, visit www.yccac.org.

style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.4px; line-height: 10.0px; font: 9.0px New Century Schoolbook">For more information to apply for the low interest loan offered by the USDA, visit www.rurdev.usda.gov.