PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Aroostook County Action Program recently received a charitable donation of $15,000 from Versant Power to support the mission of keeping local residents warm in their homes over the coming long and cold Aroostook County winter.
“Versant Power is pleased to support ACAP’s heating assistance programs,” said Arielle Silver Karsh, director of legal and regulatory affairs at Versant. “We want to help our community members in need this heating season, and know ACAP is doing excellent work providing them with critical resources and services.”
The funds will support struggling households with energy assistance during this difficult time. These funds are critical, as the needs continue to grow for residents in Aroostook County.
“This generous gift from Versant Power will allow us to continue to meet the needs in our community during this challenging time,” said Sherry Locke, director of advancement at ACAP.
“We have seen a sharp increase in the number of calls each day as we are serving individuals and families who have never turned to us for support before. With the support of partners, funders and community stakeholders, we are able to blend and braid multiple funding streams together to establish and grow the programs that so many in our community are dependent on,” Locke said.
ACAP continues to foster a multilayered approach to keep local residents safe and warm in their homes, which includes several national, state and local programs. For example, last year the Home Energy Assistance Program and Emergency Crisis Intervention Program collectively served over 5,500 Aroostook County households. Those programs, coupled with donation dollars, ensure that neighbors have the support they need when it comes to heating their homes.
As the temperatures continue to drop, ACAP encourages anyone who needs assistance heating their homes to contact them to schedule an appointment.
The income guidelines for the Home Energy Assistance Program have increased again this year and the review window has been reduced to just one month for those facing an immediate or unexpected loss in income. Monthly income guidelines are: for a household of one, $2,433; a household of two, $3,181; and afamily of four can have a monthly income of $4,678.
Additional information about the program or a full list of income guidelines can be found on the agency’s website acap-me.org or by calling 207-764-3721.
