The Selectmen have been advised that Federal funds
currently available for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program are
significantly less than last year and consequently will provide only a
fraction of the support some citizens may need this winter.
The Senior Center Coordinator/Agent for the Elderly, Teresa
Pensis, has advised us that many town residents may be at risk this
winter because the high cost of heating oil will strain their budgets.
Today’s news contains reports of New England (but not
Connecticut) US Senators advocating a bill to prevent the deep spending
cuts in the home heating assistance program. In conferring with our State Rep,
Diana, she indicates she is working on a delegation letter to encourage our
national officials to likewise support the opposition to deep spending cuts in
home heating assistance.
While “politics” is often considered a dirty word and
“government offering to help” frequently makes folks leery, I think it behooves
us as a society to advocate for the less fortunate against adversity and in
doing so, we exercise an important government function in providing for the
commonweal. Therefore, if you have not already done so, I urge you to
contact our national officials and request their support to maintain
funding levels for this program (see links below). Given the state of the
economy and heating oil prices near, if not at, an historic high, this program
can make a difference. Our residents and neighbors with limited means should
not have to choose between food, medicine or heat in a hard winter.
As we progress through the winter, please be mindful of your
neighbors and others you know who may be at risk. Please refer any seniors
who could benefit to Teresa, as Agent for the Elderly – she can help them
with applications for heating funds and other arrangements, such as
registration for Social Security. If you become aware of a severe situation,
please do not hesitate to bring it to the attention of the Selectmen. The
Town budget has provision for very limited assistance to severely affected
residents – but it cannot be used unless we know who needs it. This is not
meant to suggest developing a welfare program in town – but to allow us to
intervene in a threatening situation when no other recourse may be available.
We can also try to bring other community assistance to bear.
As always, thanks for your support.
Mark
Click on the link below to access
our national officials and provide input:
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