TVCCA faces higher demand of energy assistance applications
Oct. 15—The Thames Valley Council for Community Action faces a high demand for its energy assistance program with more than 3,700 applications in the last month, which is already more than it received in the first two months last year.
"We are hearing from people that have not needed assistance in the past," said Barbara Crouch, senior director of marketing and development at TVCCA. "Single individuals under 35 are applying in record numbers. We are hearing that with reports of rising oil costs, they are afraid that they will not be able to meet basic needs ― housing, food and energy."
TVCCA's Director of Energy Zach St. John said about 60% of the applicants so far are eligible to receive assistance. The organization started taking applications Sept. 1 but has usually started the process in August in previous years. He said it took longer to transition to the energy assistance program this year.
He said it was at 3,600 applications around this time last year, but that was over the course of two months.
"Last season we had a 20% increase of total households that applied. We're expecting it to be just as high this year," he said. He added that TVCCA spent $9.9 million in heating bills last season and expects this figure to be much higher based on the demand.
St. John said that they are able to maintain services but "we are hoping for more funding." He said oil deliveries start in November and he wants to make sure they are caught up with applications.
TVCCA is expected to receive some support from Operation Fuel, the only year-round emergency assistance program in the state. Operation Fuel partners with 58 organizations in the state, including TVCCA. FirstLight Power Resources, a clean power producer and energy storage company, announced Tuesday it will collaborate with battery facility developer New Leaf Energy to donate $60,000 to Operation Fuel for its workforce training program and to provide energy assistance to residents during the coming winter.
Brenda Watson, executive director of Operation Fuel, said it has partnered with TVCCA for nearly 30 years. She said portion of the donation will go to add a staff member at TVCCA to help meet the high demand.
"Often shortness of staff at nonprofits delay the approval of applications and getting folks what they need," she said.
Watson said Operation Fuel is grateful for the generosity of FirstLight and New Leaf Energy for the money . She said TVCCA covers an area it determined faced a "huge affordability gap" in terms of energy.
St. John said the number one reason for the higher demand is the higher prices of oil and electricity. Other reasons he said could be that people can now apply online and more people are finding out about the program.
"I encourage people to apply," he said. "They may not even know they're eligible."
St. John said and TVCCA looks at income and utility bill costs to determine eligibility for those in the New London County. If a household has food stamps, he said they automatically qualify for the highest benefit.
An income of $76,465 is the highest amount that qualifies for a household of four, St. John said. He added a lot of people don't know how robust the guidelines are.
Crouch said if people would like to donate to the program, they can go to https://tvcca.networkforgood.com/projects/89093-tvcca-donations and check Heating Assistance.
