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THAW Fund Receives $20,000 Donation from Belvedere Fund
The Heating and Warmth Fund has received a generous $20,000 donation from the Belvedere General Charitable Grantmaking Fund through Maine Community Foundation. THAW, a program of Washington Hancock Community Agency, helps people who are having difficulty paying home energy bills.This donation will help dozens of people who are struggling to make ends meet this winter.
"This demonstrates that people understand the need that exists," Joe Perkins, director of Community & Family Services at WHCA, said of the donation. "Tough economic times have made it exceedingly difficult for many people to take care of basic necessities."
THAW utilizes funds raised from the community assist people who may be just outside the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) eligibility requirements or who have exhausted all other options to heat their homes. People recently out of work, due to plant closures and layoffs, do not qualify for home energy assistance, yet often need help paying their fuel bills. THAW fund helps meet the gap left by other funding sources. WHCA receives calls every day from those with broken furnaces and failing oil tanks. With the recent layoffs at Stinson's the number of requests for help is expected to increase.
WHCA works with its many partners to help those in crisis. Each year state agencies, municipalities, non-profit organizations, and churches respond to calls from families who are running out of fuel or are facing service disconnection. Last winter, THAW funds served more than 300 households.
The Maine Community Foundation is one of the leading charitable resources for donors seeking to provide long-term support to strengthen Maine communities. Since opening its doors in 1983, the foundation has awarded more than $123 million in grants and scholarships.
For more information on heating assistance or to apply for benefits, call 664-2424 or 546-7544.
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