Citizens for Citizens, Inc. » Area Vendors Help Spread the Word on Fuel Assistance

Area Vendors Help Spread the Word on Fuel Assistance

May 5th, 2009

In the fall of 2008, it became evident to staffers at Citizens for Citizens, Inc. (CFC) that families and individuals who had become eligible under the expanded income eligibility guidelines for the Citizens for Citizens, Inc. Fuel Assistance Program were not taking advantage of the funds that were now available to help them pay their fuel bills during the winter heating season.

For the first time, the Fuel Assistance Program income guidelines have been raised to 60% of the state median income. For a family of four, that translates into $53,608 in gross annual income. With the unemployment situation in CFC’s service area on the upswing, (Fall River at 16%) and census data that indicated a significant number of new households could be assisted with paying their heating bills, but only a handful of new applicants had applied for benefits. It became apparent that the new eligibility information was not becoming widely known in the Greater Fall River and Greater Taunton areas.

Telephone calls and visits were made to area supermarkets and small businesses by CFC staff; asking if CFC flyers announcing the new expanded fuel assistance guidelines could be placed in their customers’ shopping bags. The answer was an overwhelming yes!

Before this local campaign had begun, Citizens for Citizens, Inc had received less than 85 applications from new households who now qualified under the higher guidelines. As of this April, CFC has assisted more than 1,625 income-eligible applicants who qualified under the expanded guidelines and who have now received assistance with their heating bills. Not only do these qualified households receive help paying their heating bills, they also become eligible for other services offered by Citizens for Citizens, Inc. These services include programs like the CFC Weatherization Program, which provides free help to eligible homeowners or renters with reducing the amount of energy a home or apartment consumes. Also available is the Heating System Repair/Replacement Program that helps homeowners with needed repair or replacement of their heating system. New CFC clients can qualify for an AMP audit, and if their refrigerator or freezer meets certain criteria, it can be replaced at no cost to the homeowner or tenant. Reduced rates for utilities such as electric and telephone are also an additional benefit available to income-eligible Citizens for Citizens fuel assistance clients.

The CFC Fuel Assistance Program deadline for accepting applications has been extended to May 15th 2009. Families or individuals who may qualify for the program should call (508) 676-7397 for more information.

Each local merchant participating in the fuel assistance outreach campaign has received a Certificate of Thanks from Citizens for Citizens, Inc.

The area merchants participating in the program were:

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]