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home > radio > maine news > news story Maine NewsPreparations Underway To Help Cash-Strapped Mainers Heat Their Homes This Winter
It’s still the height of summer in Maine, but the specter of the coming heating crisis this winter is looming large. The call is out for more help from Washington, while efforts are underway here in the state to help even those who don't qualify for low income programs. The federal low income heating assistance program known as LIHEAP has always been a focus of attention here in the northeast, where the cold weather months place an extra burden on those Maine households already struggling to make ends meet. But this year LIHEAP is under even more scrutiny, some say it doesn’t provide nearly enough help to Maine's poor. “Each household will receive a benefit of around $400 to $415 on average.” JoAnn Choate is the director of the Housing and Energy Program for MaineHousing, which allocates LIHEAP funds in Maine to ten community action agencies across Maine. Choate says that $400 benefit will pay for only an eight to ten day supply of oil, as compared to several years ago, when LIHEAP actually covered more than half the cost of winter heating “Well it has dwindled over the last couple years. Before that we paid probably 60 percent of the heating cost, which those days are gone now.” Choate says this year’s $400 benefit will go to just over 50 thousand households, who make less than 60 percent of the average state income. For a family of four, the cutoff in eligibility for LIHEAP is just over $38,000. While congressional delegates from Maine have been calling for a significant increase in LIHEAP funds this year, there are concerns that even those households that don't qualify for the program could face a heating crisis this winter. “That is why I am so pleased and proud to announce that Downeast Energy is doubling its contribution for heat assistance to $100,000 for this upcoming heating season.” At a press conference in Biddeford, Downeast Energy and Building Supply President John Peters announced the increased commitment to heating assistance funds to 15 organizations in Maine and Southern New Hampshire. Among them, a group based in the Biddeford-Saco area called Keeping Neighbors Warm “We believe strongly that most people fall into two groups: those who can help and those who need help.” The group's Bill Southwick says many Mainers move between those two groups at various points in their lives. “This year you may need help to get by and perhaps by next year your circumstances will change and you’ll be able to contribute to helping others in your community. Most importantly, if you know anyone that needs heating assistance for their home this winter, please contact the general assistance office in your communities.” The press event was held at the Biddeford home of Noella Juncase, who says she's actually not that worried about the coming winter--at least not yet. “I’m doing okay so far. I don’t know how long, but so far I’m doing okay. But if I need help, I’ll know where to go.” Meanwhile MaineHousing's Joanne Choate says the state is operating under the assumption that LIHEAP funding will remain at current levels, even though the state's congressional delegation and governor have been working to see funding increased. “But we can’t plan on that and I think even though we may get some supplemental, it certainly is not going to meet the need this year. And people do need to plan ahead, set up budget payments, do what they can for themselves. Definitely, it’s going to be a rough winter.” For more information about Keeping Neighbors Warm and Maine Housing, visit their websites at:
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