As winter approaches along with the persisting pandemic, more families are staying home. This means facing potential significant hikes in household heating bills. Fueling up a tank can cost anywhere from $200 to $500. Depending on the frequency of use, the tank may need to be refilled at least 3-4 times over the winter months. This is a significant cost, especially to those that fall in the lower-income bracket.
In the early to mid-1970s, the OPEC Oil Embargo crisis confronted the nation with skyrocketing fuel prices that most citizens were unable to pay for. This resulted in federal-founded fuel voucher programs like the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Enacted in 1981, the program aimed to decrease cases of hypothermia and allow children to do homework in the cold winters. Here in Boston, the Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) is one of the largest community action organizations that has been providing this support to homeowners and renters for over decades.
Today, the problem of affordable fuel is equally relevant as the pandemic has now extended into the harsh New England winter. ABCD’s program is currently accepting new applicants until April 30th, 2021. Previous members were given a chance to recertify their eligibility for the program this past summer via mail with information of their vendor and address for instant annual renewal. Due to the pandemic, the process may be slower than usual so applicants are asked to be patient.
To qualify for this program, there are eligibility guidelines for each household size, in which they cannot exceed a total gross yearly income (at or below 60% of Massachusetts median income, i.e. a family of four must not have a total gross annual income of $75,201 to qualify). Depending on each family’s financial situation, they would be allocated a certain amount of funding, as some can get around $600. Necessary documents for registration include providing one’s: gross income, identification, proof of residence, and copies of heating bills.
There are a variety of ways to apply. Interested families will need to reach out to ABCD via connecting with their local ABCD branch for assistance throughout this process. Due to the pandemic, the application process is run in a hybrid manner. Applicants may complete most of the process over the phone, and will only need to drop off documents in-person at the social-distanced office if necessary.
The Director of Fuel Assistance at ABCD, Kathy Tobin assures that language barriers will be accommodated. She said, “We present information in different language files and interpreters. Language has never been a barrier in whatsoever way in getting people on this program. We are diverse in our communities and staff.”
The program provides several services from getting home heating oil, kerosene, or propane, fixing heating systems, and weatherization (avoiding draft), which promotes energy conservation and efficiency in the house. They work with the vendors— e.g. Eversoruce, National Grid, Berkshire Gas — to help pay the winter heating bill. Besides being part of the utility program, residents may qualify for a utility discount rate (electricity and gas) of up to almost 30-40% through their vendors.
ABCD’s fuel assistance program serves Boston, Newton, Brookline, Mystic Valley, Malden, Medford, Everett, Melrose, Stoneham, Winchester, and Woburn. Each year, they serve more than 24,000 residents through this program. Tobin adds that “it is important to reduce appliances and energy costs so that people can pay for other things like medicine, rent, food, and much more.”
Tobin said, “This program is all about keeping people warm as we live in New England with four seasons and for half of the year, so we need heat,” and “we must help the most vulnerable because it is a danger to life and death” if people are not getting the proper heating.
Other than this program, ABCD runs their head start program, workforce development, foster grandparent, an elderly program, alternative high school, university, Summerworks, youth involvement, food pantry, health services, and social services.
To read this article in Chinese (Traditional), please click here.
