AROOSTOOK COUNTY, Maine — Although the winter season is halfway over in northern Maine, many folks might still qualify for home heating assistance through services offered by the Aroostook County Action Program.
As part of a funding stream connected with the Maine State Housing Authority’s Home Energy Assistance Program, individuals work with an ACAP family coach through a three-part process that works to lower their heating costs and improve long-term financial success.
“Our clients will receive a $175 benefit that they can put toward their electric bill or the cost of refilling their fuel oil tank,” said Tammy Clavette, an ACAP family coach. “They’ll also receive a kit that has materials to block out cold air from windows and doors and special outlets that allow them to plug in multiple cords at a time, all of which I can help install.”
Typically, folks will receive coaching for six months. During that time, family coaches work with them on skills that might include financial literacy, setting up a special fund for emergencies or other daily expenses, and assist in dealing with other local and statewide support agencies. They also work with individuals on ways to reduce their heating expenses, such as unplugging certain appliances in the evenings.
Individuals will receive two more incentives each during the six-month period, which Clavette said are to help with heating expenses while the person saves more funds for daily living expenses such as food or prescription medication.
Alan Cyr, of Madawaska, has received coaching since November 2018 and credits Clavette for helping him and his wife Paula, both of whom receive state disability benefits, with not having to choose between heating their home and going without meals during the winter.
“Before she started working with us, we were only eating one meal every day,” Cyr said. “Now with the money we’ve saved, we can buy more food and eat three meals a day.”
He also has considered Clavette to be an important advocate for himself and Paula when they’ve had questions for the local Department of Health and Human Services office in Fort Kent concerning food stamp benefits.
“With a lot of agencies, nobody answers the phone and you start to feel that they don’t care about you,” Cyr said. “But she (Clavette) has never forgotten about us.”
ACAP also offers emergency heating assistance that is supported through funds raised from an annual TV telethon. The assistance is meant for folks who find themselves in a “true emergency,” such as if they run out of heating fuel and lack the financial means to obtain more at the time.
The emergency funds have thus far served around 83 individuals this winter season, said ACAP resource developer Monica Jerkins.
“That number doesn’t include countless other calls from people with impending fuel emergencies whose HEAP applications we have certified early as a result. To date this season, we have received 4,319 HEAP applications from Aroostook County households,” Jerkins said.
Thus far this season, ACAP has helped around 60 households through energy coaching. Clavette said that although she has only been a family coach at ACAP for one year so far, she has already seen how prevalent the heating assistance is for people in all areas of Aroostook County.
“I never knew just how many people struggle everyday,” Clavette said. “Being able to connect people to these services that ACAP offers has been a wonderful experience.”
