Energy assistance for low-income Oregon families

I noticed that my crocuses are popping out of the ground and last year’s primroses are blooming as well.  Our local weatherperson said that we could hit 62 degrees, first time since last October. Pretty soon I am going to have to get that lawnmower out and cut the grass. – I know, what does this have to do with helping low-income Oregonians with Emergency Energy Assistance? 

Well sometimes I forget that with the warming up of spring and the fact that I may not need to turn my heat up or even on, depending how warms its getting, that there are thousands of Oregonians who have to make hard decisions weather to pay their heating bill or purchase food for their families.  These decisions maybe based on the fact that the family cannot afford to do both because of a job loss or maybe they’re working, but not enough hours to pay all the bills or even an illness in the family that attributed to having higher than expected medical bills – there are many reasons that low-income Oregonians may have for not being able to keep their homes warm and pay their heating bills.  So sometimes it is easy to forget that even though it’s warmer, people still need help from folks like you and me through Oregon HEAT’s Global Giving Project: Emergency Energy Assistance Program.

All of the donors who have given to the Global Giving Emergency Energy Assistance project over the past couple of years should be very proud of how their donations were used. More than $6,000 has been raised and that has helped more than 60 Oregonians with heat to keep their homes warm during the winter months. That means those 60 individuals had a warm home and could keep food on the table for their families.

As we move into to spring and see more flowers blooming, the trees leafing out and hear the sounds of lawnmowers revving up in our neighborhoods, I hope you’ll join with me and give a donation to help neighbors around us who for some financial reasons cannot afford to keep their homes warm and may need help with their heating bills.  Join with me to feel good knowing that we care about our fellow Oregonians and want to help.  Join with me and donate today!

The ground is not white, there are no ice cycles hanging from the eves of the house and the big guy with the sleigh hasn’t pulled onto the roof yet.  Even so, winter is here in Oregon.  May low-income families around the state are already asking for help with their heating.  I talked with a person in need just the other day and they said they had just had their electricity shut off and had no way of heating their home.  Another caller to us said that if she didn’t receive a little bit of help in the next few days that she would also see her heat cut off.  The need is great and the dollars to help are not enough to cover everyone.

Oregon HEAT partners with 31 different agencies and three utility company’s around Oregon.  If you listen to their representatives, you’ll hear a repetitive theme; we are overwhelmed with the amount of requests for energy assistance. 

Global giving donors always step up to the plate to help their neighbors in need.  To date, you have reached out to Oregon HEAT with more than $5,000 to help low-income Oregonians with energy assistance.  It takes on average $300 to help one family stay warm during the winter.  So as we are looking for the white stuff on the ground or seeing ice cycles on the gutters or if your believe – the Big Red Suited Jolly guy will land on your roof soon, take the time to donate today to help the many thousands of families across Oregon that just need a little help to keep their home warm this winter.  Donate today.

I wish all of you, Happy Holiday and A Wonderful NEW YEAR!!!!

Links:

• Oregon HEAT's Website

• This is Serena (PDF)
  

I noticed the leaves on the trees are starting to turn colors.  I noticed the evening air is a bit cooler.  I noticed some of the flowers are starting to wilt from the overnight air temperature.  All these changes lead into what I know will be time to turn up our heat in our homes as we move into the fall and winter seasons.  There are many neighbors in our communities where this will be a challenge, they cannot afford to turn up their heat.

This is the time Oregon HEAT starts its heating season and begins helping the many low-income Oregonians who will need help with their energy assistance and for many reasons cannot afford to turn up their heat or turn on their lights.  We can only do this by the generous donations we receive from great people like you, Global Giving donors!  Last year, with the support of caring donors like you, we helped nearly 13,000 people all around Oregon with energy assistance. This upcoming winter we are sure to see that amount and more requesting help with their heat and lights.  So as you prepare for all fall and the winter seasons have in store, please remember to help out people in your community that may not be able to enjoy the upcoming seasons by donating to Oregon HEAT today and keep your neighbors heat and lights on this winter.

Links:

• Join us at Oregon HEAT's Annual Dinner & Benefit Auction

Oregon HEAT just finished up its heating season at the end of May.  During the season, Oregon HEAT was able to help over 17,000 individuals in Oregon with their emergency energy assistance.  Now that summer is here, well at least on the calendar, most of us are thinking about planning out our summer activities – camping in the woods, picnics in the park, backyard bar-b-ques with friends and families and maybe even a trip to the coast to check out the latest tsunami debris.  It is hard to imagine during the next few months coming up that anyone would worry about a cold and dark house.  Oregon HEAT fundraises year round and even during the heat of summer when you are thinking about your cool summer plans, we know that there will be many families who need help with their energy bills this upcoming winter.  So we ask all of you while you’re enjoying that backyard bar-b-que or the trip to the coast to catch a glimpse of what has washed up on the beach that you take the time, if you have some extra dollars, to donate to our Emergency Energy Assistance Program.  Oregon HEAT is collecting donations for next winter when there will be thousands of Oregon families, maybe even your neighbors, who will need our help.

The Pollen count is really high.  The tulips and daffodils are in full bloom and the air is starting to feel warm on the skin.  Spring is here!  As the temperatures go up, many people’s thoughts turn toward that new swim suit or picking out shorts and sandals to wear.  We think of planting new perennials and annuals in our yards and mowing the fast-growing grass.  While that is all awesome, many low-income Oregonians are still reeling from their high energy bills that have accumulated over the winter because they could not afford to pay them do to things like they’re unemployed, underemployed or have lost their job altogether.  Perhaps it’s an unexpected medical bill or someone in the family has been stricken with an illness.  Any number of things can happen to people struggling financially and it does not take much to fall behind in your bills. 

Oregon HEAT helps thousands of Low-income Oregonians each year with their energy bills.  This winter, requests for emergency energy assistance has been astounding.  The Global Giving Project; Emergency Energy Assistance has brought in a lot of revenue from caring donors.  The project is about 2 years old now and with the help of Global Giving Donors to Oregon HEAT, we have been able to help nearly 40 individuals with their emergency heating needs. Every donation to Oregon HEAT’s Emergency Energy Assistance Program is important.

So as your thoughts turn to that new swim suit or planting a new annual in your backyard, please remember the people around Oregon who cannot afford to pay their heating bills from this last winter and are in crisis of having their heat turned off- please Spring Into Action and give to the Emergency Energy Assistance Program if you can afford to help someone in need today.