NORWICH – Applications for emergency home heating assistance funds began pouring into the Chenango County Department of Social Services Wednesday, as Jack Frost walloped Central New York and residents lulled into a false sense of security by the recent trend of clement winters found themselves unable to afford to heat their homes.
The Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program is designed to help county residents living in low income households who are already benefiting from the assistance program and are grappling with the prospect of having their heat turned off. With two major storms already passing through the region and thermometers hitting zero degrees, it seems as though it is going to be a long winter.
Opportunities for Chenango helps DSS with the processing of some of the applications for HEAP, but DSS is in charge of Emergency HEAP as well as all approvals.
“So far, we have already been seeing a few more people calling us for Emergency HEAP by accident,” said Rose Priest of Opportunities for Chenango, referring to the number of calls OFC receives each season from people trying to get in touch with the DSS for emergency aid. Last season Opportunities for Chenango helped DSS process around 1,000 people. “It’s a great program which benefits a great number of people,” she said.
In order to be eligible for Emergency HEAP aid, individuals must have already applied for Regular HEAP, an application process which normally takes 30 days. But for those in dire straights who are not already receiving HEAP, Opportunities for Chenango workers do what they can to streamline the process and get them registered as quickly as possible. “We call it HEAP-quick and we try to move them to the top of the stacks going over to DSS for approval,” said Priest.
Although the DSS only just began accepting applications for Emergency HEAP aid, some workers have already noticed a marked increase in the number of people applying.
“The waiting room was packed Wednesday with people applying for Emergency HEAP,” said Chenango County DSS Commissioner Bette Osborne. “I saw a lot of kids in the waiting room,
meaning there were a lot of families coming through, and from the stacks of intakes I have seen, it seems very busy indeed.”
There are a lot of people in Chenango County who depend upon HEAP, especially the elderly. “They plan on getting it and wouldn’t be able to get through the season without it,” said Osborne. Osborne has also noticed a lot of new people applying for HEAP in recent years, many of whom have lost their jobs, and are coming to the DSS for help.
Although comparing the number of HEAP applicants from last year’s season to the most recently compiled numbers from November indicates a downward trend, the county was still experience warmer weather and it is likely there will be a surge in the number of applicants.
“People were not ready for the change in the weather because we have all gotten so used to having mild winters,” said Osborne. Vulnerable people such as children, the disabled, and elderly are especially important for the DSS to help.
“I just hope there is enough money to get through the year. The trend lately has been for the state to close it down a few days earlier each year, and that’s not going to help people if it’s still cold in March,” she said.