Gift of Warmth is back to help meet heating needs of Seacoast neighbors: How you can help

Seacoast Media Group is proud to announce the start of the 18th annual Gift of Warmth campaign for the 2023-2024 heating season.

Run in partnership with Rockingham Community Action and Community Action Partnership of Strafford County, the campaign has raised more than $880,000 in its first 17 years.

The money donated to Gift of Warmth by the generous readers of Seacoast Media Group publications goes directly to the county community action programs, which help our neighbors in need stay warm when the weather turns cold.

"We have already started receiving donations from warm-hearted readers, even before we launched the campaign," said Howard Altschiller, Seacoast Media Group's executive editor. "Every year we are blown away by our readers' kindness and generosity, and it warms our hearts to play a role in keeping community members safe and warm during the cold winter months."

The magic of Gift of Warmth funds is that unlike federal fuel assistance, they come with no strings attached. Whatever heating related need a Seacoast resident is experiencing, the community action programs can direct these funds to address it.

Betsey Andrews Parker, president and CEO of Community Action Partnership of Strafford County, said he organization is already seeing applications for fuel assistance and other programs.

"Last year we saw an increase of more than 10% for the number of people receiving fuel assistance which was surprising given the number of COVID-related programs available," she said. "This year we are ahead in the number of applications accepted compared to last year by just over 200 households. Households are still having a hard time making ends meet and they are coming to CAP for multiple services.

"Another way this program helps is for households that are barely over the income limits," said Andrews Parker. "Households that are one or two dollars over income means they are barely making it. Using Gift of Warmth, we are able to help them with oil or electric bills to keep their home warm and safe."

Patte-Anne C. Ardizzoni, Rockingham County Community Acton engagement manager, part of Southern New Hampshire Services Inc., said the need is great this year.

"As we all step away from the pandemic, and the various funding resources that allowed so many of us to remain safely housed throughout, our thoughts are turning to those who may still be facing financial barriers and challenges," said Ardizzoni. "At Southern NH Services, we're seeing so many who lost their employment and are still unemployed, families and individuals with low incomes who were able to benefit from increased and extended benefits but who are now realizing a decrease in funds as well as those whose monthly Social Security check cannot keep up with the cost of living."

Ardizzoni said with the extra funding that became available during the pandemic going away, community action programs are now actively engaging with welfare partners, working to keep ahead of the need, looking at what's trending, and how agencies can work together to keep people safely housed and warm.

"Through our agency, clients may find that they're eligible for fuel/electric assistance and other whole family supports, but our staff are also focused on making certain that these individuals and families are also connected to other programs, both in our own agency, as well as at our many community partners," Ardizzoni said.

Andrews Parker said the Gift of Warmth program allows Community Action Partnership to help households when they have no other alternatives.

"For example, a client who did not know about the fuel assistance program did not have heat in her house and she came to us desperate for help," she said. "Using Gift of Warmth, we were able to get the heat on and electricity back plus enroll her into the fuel program she will be able to remain stable in her home."

Ardizzoni said last year in Rockingham County they provided 12,401 households with $14,738,027 in value of services that included fuel/electric, weatherization, WIC, Head Start, workforce development, food pantry programming, childcare, and more.

"For fuel assistance alone we provided 7,884 households with $10,406,817 in benefits," she said.

The Fuel Assistance Program is New Hampshire's arm of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) which is funded through the US Department of Health and Human Services. While the Department of Energy administers the program, the on-the-ground work is done by local Community Action Agencies with whom the department contracts.

Leah Richards, fuel assistance program administrator for the NH Department of Energy, said the estimated allocation for the state in the current program year is $27.6 million, which is on par with what was received last year.

Richards said the need is always great.

"Before we even hit December, nearly 25,000 households have applied for fuel assistance," she said. "The Community Action Programs that accept applications for the programs around the state are hearing concerns from households about how they will afford their necessities this winter, so I am glad so many households are reaching out early."

Richards said that when households apply for fuel assistance, they can also apply for the Electric Assistance Program.

"This is a wonderful program that provides a discount on electricity for all eligible households – another way to help make ends meet," said Richards. "Those with past due water or sewer bills can also apply for the water assistance program, which can pay off those balances."

Fuel assistance benefits are a grant and do not have to be paid back.

According to the state Department of Energy website, fuel assistance benefits range from $243 to $2,419, depending on household income and energy costs. Benefits are calculated taking into account household income, energy costs, number of heating degree days within a region, and housing type. This targeting allows FAP to provide those households with the lowest incomes and the highest energy costs with the highest benefits. The average benefit per household is $1,530.25. Fuel assistance benefits are not counted as income when applying for other assistance programs.

Applications for fuel assistance are accepted until April 30, 2024 through local community action programs.

"A really great resource is the website energyhelp.us," said Richards "This website has an easy, fast, ‘Do I qualify?’ tool. NH residents can also find their local Community Action Program at www.capnh.org as well as information on how to apply."

How to donate to Gift of Warmth

This year, we ask that checks to Gift of Warmth be made out directly to either Rockingham Community Action or the Community Action Partnership of Strafford County. Please write “Gift of Warmth” in the check memo line to ensure the money goes for fuel assistance.

Checks can be mailed to Gift of Warmth, Seacoast Media Group, 210 Commerce Way, Suite 330, Portsmouth, NH 03801. We will tally the checks, record the names of each week’s contributors and then forward the checks on to the two county community action programs. Each week throughout the campaign, Seacoast Media Group will publish that week’s donors.

If you need help

To apply for fuel assistance, call Rockingham Community Action at (603) 431-2911. People experiencing any significant hardship or financial crisis can also call and they will be referred to the appropriate person. For more information, visit snhs.org.

For Community Action Partnership of Strafford County, call (603) 435-2500 or visit straffordcap.org.

Recent donors include:

This week's pre-kickoff contributions total $2,600.

Christine Silverman, $150

Carole Bunting, $750

Robert Andelman and Kathryn Lynch, $1,500

Anonymous, $100

Anonymous, $100

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Gift of Warmth 2023: Campaign is back to keep Seacoast neighbors warm