Fuel Assistance

Fuel Assistance

Fuel Assistance

Community Concepts

Address:  PO Box 278
South Paris, ME 04281
Location:  17-19 Market Square
South Paris
Phone:  Main office (207) 743-7716 (South Paris)
Website: http://www.community-concepts.org
 
Clients:  Additional offices: Rumford 364-3721; Auburn 795-4065

Farmington (Transportation): (207) 779-0594

Farmington, 124 Main St. (Family Support): (207) 779-0919

Farmington (HeadStart) (207) 778-7534

Jay (HeadStart) (207) 897-4258

New Sharon (HeadStart) (207) 778-0395

Wilton Bass Office, 284 Main St. (207) 645-9512 (HeadStart) (207) 645-3284

Services:  Community Concepts is a Maine non-profit community action agency dedicated to helping people to help themselves. Since 1965, Community Concepts, Inc. has offered a variety of social services that promote self-sufficiency within the people of the communities of Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties of Maine. The focus is “to coordinate, collaborate, and to focus resources to help people in need build opportunities for a better tomorrow.”

Main office is located in South Paris. Satellite offices located in Auburn, Rumford and Farmington have various program offices including HeadStart, Transportation and Family Support.

Programs include:

Parenting education

Supported Journey into Recovery

Parent Partners

Project Meditation

Family support

Healthy Beginnings

Community Cares

H.E.A.P. (Fuel Assistance) Fuel assistance is available through Community Concepts for residents of Livermore and Livermore Falls.

Electric and Telephone Lifelines

Finders/Seekers (linking people to child care opportunities)

Homeless Shelter

Head Start programs

REACH program (increase efficiency of energy usage),

Self-Help Home Building program, low income housing for Senior Citizens, and Home weatherization program.

Fees:  Most programs are at no cost.

Self help Home Building Program has fees:

No down payment, low mortgage payments, instant equity (up to $20,000), interest rates as low as 1%, low closing costs, energy efficient, 3 Bedrooms.

Hours:  Monday thru Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Farmington Area Ecumenical Ministry

Address:  c/o Henderson Memorial Baptist Church
Farmington, ME 04938
Phone:  (207) 778-2163 (Henderson Memorial)
E-mail:  hmbc@midmaine.com
E-mail:  splanting@mainewest.com
Contact:  Rev. Susan Crane or Rev. Scott Planting
 
Services:  A cooperative effort of area churches, the Farmington Area Ecumenical Ministry supports many initiatives in Franklin County. Most notably, the churches of Franklin County cooperate to provide emergency fuel assistance to families in need by pooling resources to supplement help available through Western Maine Community Action’s LIHEAP (Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program) and ECIP (Energy Crisis Intervention Program). The Franklin County Ecumenical Heating Fund is an outreach ministry of the Farmington Area Ecumenical Ministry (FAEM), designed to provide emergency fuel assistance to any needy family in Franklin County. Individual churches may or may not offer assistance from their own funds. The pastors of cooperating churches refer families in need to Tania Gage at Western Maine Community Action for assistance. Households are encouraged to apply for LIHEAP every year as soon as possible; once qualified, emergency assistance is easier to access.

Recipients must be residents of Franklin County. In the event of a fuel emergency, call Tania Gage at 645-3764, Extension 5523, Monday through Friday, 8:00-4:30 (no holidays). Tania will first apply any federal funds available either under LIHEAP or ECIP. When no federal funds are available, the Ecumenical Heating Fund will cover the cost of delivering 100 gallons of fuel. In the case of families who do not qualify for LIHEAP, but cannot afford fuel, Tania will conduct an interview and may authorize the use of the Ecumenical Heating Fund. Families are encouraged to call during office hours only, since emergency deliveries of fuel on nights and weekends require a special delivery charge.

The Franklin County Ecumenical Heating Fund is dependent upon donations from churches and individuals.

Donations may be sent to:

Franklin County Ecumenical Heating Fund, c/o HMBC, P.O. Box 147, Farmington, ME 04938

For more information, contact: Rev. Susan Crane (778-2163-church, or 897-9466-home) FAEM Coord. for the Franklin County Ecumenical Heating Fund

Kennebec Valley Community Action Program

Address:  97 Water St.
Waterville, ME 04901
Phone:  1-800-542-8227 (toll free)
Website: http://www.kvcap.org/
Contact:  Dave Gilpatrick, Housing & LIHEAP Director
 
Clients:  Residents of Kennebec and Somerset Counties.
Services:  Kennebec Valley Community Action Program (KVCAP)is a non-profit community action program which has been providing services to the people of Kennebec and Somerset counties for more than 35 years. Fuel assistance is available through KVCAP for residents of Vienna.

Salvation Army Assistance Program

Address:  P.O. Box 3647
Portland, ME 04101
Location:  297 Cumberland Ave
Portland
Phone:  (207) 774-6304
Fax:  (207) 774-3484
Website: http://www.servingnewengland.org/index.asp
 
Services:  Assists with people who are trying to assist themselves, but may need some help. Some assistance programs include: Eye glasses, oil assistance, prescription drug assistance, food, and clothing. For more information on how to get any assistance in Greater Franklin County, contact the Portland office for local representatives for that area.

Western Maine Community Action

Address:  PO Box 200
East Wilton, ME 04234
Location:  20 Church Street
East Wilton
Phone:  (207) 645-3764; 1-800-645-9636 (toll free)
Fax:  (207) 645-3270
E-mail:  ffowler@wmca.org
E-mail:  tgage@wmca.org
Website: http://www.wmca.org
Contact:  Fen Fowler, Executive Director
 
Clients:  Individuals/families who wish to pursue greater self-sufficiency in areas such as: education, employment, legal issues, finances, shelter, substance use/abuse, relationships, spirituality, nutrition, child care, health, parenting, transportation, mental health, children’s education.

Services:  Western Maine Community Action is one of the State’s vital community action programs offering numerous ways to improve the community’s quality of life. These programs include:

Central Heating Improvement Program

Child Care Systems

Information and Referral

Fuel Assistance

Low Interest Home Improvement Loans

Tri-County Health Services

Weatherization Programs

WIC Nutrition Program

Career Center

Family Development Accounts

Revolving Loan Program

Maine’s American Dream Initiative (first time homebuyer program)

Home Buyer Education

Affordable Homes

Elderly Hardship Grant

Home Preservation Grant

Oil Tank Replacement

Maine Association of Realtors Grants

ARP - Appliance Replacement Program

and Volunteerism.

WIC (Women, Infants and Children) - Case management/mentoring, resources, assessment of nutritional needs, nutritional and health information and referrals, height, weight, and hemoglobin assessment. Vouchers issued for milk, cereal, juice, cheese, etc. Intended to be a supplemental nutritional program. Prenatal, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and their children under age 5, who are 185% of the poverty guidelines and have nutritional or medical needs.

Volunteer department administers a variety of programs including Operation Santa Claus, Seeds of Life, Food Pantries, Senior Farm Share, Grow A Row, Gleaning and Western Maine Tax Assistance Program. The volunteer department also offers support to other programs within the agency.

Fees:  None
Hours:  Monday thru Friday, 8:00a.m. – 4:30p.m.

Western Maine Community Action Fuel/Energy Assistance Program

Address:  PO Box 200
East Wilton, ME 04234
Location:  20 Church St.
Wilton
Phone:  (207) 645-3764 x 5270; 1-800-645-9396 (toll free)
E-mail:  tgage@wmca.org
Website: http://www.wmca.org/index.htm
Contact:  Tania Gage
 
Clients:  Fuel Assistance participants.
Services:  Fuel Assistance is a program designed to help low-income individuals in the area who qualify, pay for kerosene, oil, propane, wood, electricity or coal to heat their homes. Western Maine Community Action: Western Maine Community Action (WMCA) is a social service agency that has been providing services for over 40 years to people living in the western mountain region of Maine. WMCA is funded with private, local, state and federal money. The majority of WMCA services are designed to assist low to moderate-income people in Franklin, Androscoggin and Oxford counties. Some of WMCA’s services are available regardless of income. WMCA offers numerous programs and services that include nutrition, health, home ownership, education, training, employment, volunteerism, and heating and energy assistance. The heating and energy assistance program, know as LIHEAP, program runs from October 1 - April 30. If someone has applied for LIHEAP and the individual is still in need of emergency assistance, he or she will then need to apply for the Emergency Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) funds. If that person still needs help with Fuel Assistance after applying for LIHEAP and ECIP then he or she can then apply for assistance with the Ecumenical Heating Fund (which is also administered through WMCA). Phone: (207) 645-3764 x 5532 or 1-800-645-9636 x5532, PO Box 200, East Wilton, Maine 04234, 20 Church St., Wilton. tgage@wmca.org or jfrost@wmca.org. Hours: 8:00-4:30 p.m. Contact: Tania Gage (Livermore and Livermore Falls residents need to contact Community Concepts for more information regarding Fuel Assistance.) Oil Tank Replacement Program The Oil Tank Replacement Program helps homeowners on Fuel Assistance get their oil tanks replaced free of charge. Oil tanks are eligible for replacement if they are leaking, have the potential of leaking, and are rusted. To qualify for this program you must be on Fuel Assistance, own your home/mobile home, and own the oil tank that needs to be replaced. Refrigerator, Water bed, and Light Bulb Replacement Program This program helps home owners by saving money on their energy bills by replacing refrigerators that are nine year old or older, changing a water bed over to a regular mattress, and changing the light bulbs to more energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. These changes help homeowners cut down on their electric bill to save them money. CMP Line Extension Program Provides up to $2800 in a credit against the cost of installation of electrical power to a new home. Income eligible at 115% of median income.
Fees:  None.