Washington
Country Fuel and Food Assistance Alliance
Rev. Gini King,
Centre Street Congregational Church,
United Church of
Christ, Machias, Maine
Winter is coming and
so are the heating bills! With the price
of oil almost twice as much as last year, the request for fuel assistance by
our neighbors in need is growing every day.
Already Helen Vose of our Food Pantry is receiving calls every day from
families who don’t have the funds to stretch across the increase in heating
fuel, electricity, and gas for transportation.
What can we do about
the growing need? How can we work
together? These were the questions that
Helen, Wendy Harrington of the Maine Sea Coast Mission in Cherryfield and I
asked last June. From these discussions
we called together people from agencies, town and government offices and
churches to explore ways we can work together to respond to the need for winter
fuel assistance.
At the first meeting
in July over forty people came. What a
glorious witness to the spirit of cooperation and concern! From this meeting the Washington Country Fuel and Food Assistance Alliance was born. Our meetings are open to all interested
parties with more people joining all the
time. Participating to date:
- Agencies: Washington Handcock Community
Agency-WHCA, Washington County-One Community, United Way of Maine, Sunrise
Economic Council, Easter Agency of Aging, UMaine Cooperative Extension, Down
East Community Hospital, Next Step, Foster Fuel Company.
- Food pantries of Cherryfield, Whiting,
Machias.
- Town and Government: Town office of Machias
and Lubec, Washington County Emergency Management Agency, Public Health Nurse,
Washington County Council of Government, Senator Olympia Snowe’s office, Senator
Kevin Raye.
- Churches from Mildbridge, Columbia, Jonesboro,
Rogue Bluffs, Whitneyville, Whiting, Calais, Machias.
As a diverse group dedicated
to the health, safety and ‘winter warmth’ of all families in Washington County
we shared information of what assistance is presently available and discussed
ways that we could meet the requests for fuel assistance.
Tim King of WHCA reports that they have had record
We are presently
working on:
- Forming a fuel cooperative of churches and
food pantries that give fuel assistance to needy families. Lynda Brushett of the Cooperative Development
Institute and the USDA Rural Development are guiding us in the formation of
the coop.
- Providing energy assessment and winterizing
homes. By saving on the use of fuel,
families will see their fuel lasting much longer. This is the most effective and long lasting
approach to the high cost of fuel. Scott
Shaw of the Maine Sea Coast Mission in Cherryfield is coordinating this effort
with volunteer winterizing work crews from churches and communities.
- There has been discussion of forming community
warming centers and the need for a homeless shelter in Washington Country.
- Most beneficial has been the sharing of
information between agencies, towns and churches which generates cooperative ways of providing services
and getting the information of the wide variety of services available in Washington
Country to families.
Communities are
concerned and want to find ways of keeping all Washington Country citizens warm
this winter. We encourage community
groups to help out in raising funds and the awareness of need. In the Machias area there are two planned
events to benefit Winter Fuel Assistance:
- Downriver Theatre Company is presenting
a “FOLLIES FOR FUEL” November 7 & 8, 7:00 pm at the University of Maine
in Machias Performing Arts Center.
- There will be a CHRISTMAS CONCERT at Centre
Street Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Machias on December
3, 3:00 pm coordinated by Robb Cook, organist and community musician.
Mason jars full of
coins and dollars were returned to church on Sunday, September 14th. We are pleased to report that the Summer
Giving for Winter Fuel Assistance raised $1,267.00 that will be given to the
Machias Food Pantry for fuel assistance.
May we continue to
help our neighbors in need.