Published: October 21, 2009 08:51 pm      

Heating help in high demand

TAZEWELL, Va. — Although the weather outside was unseasonably warm Wednesday afternoon, many used the nice day to seek home heating assistance in anticipation of the next blast of cold weather.

The Bluefield Union Mission reported a “record day” with more than 27 families stopping by the mission offices on Bluefield Avenue by Wednesday afternoon to request home heating help. The Tazewell County Department of Social Services also reported Wednesday that more than 1,500 individuals had already applied for heating help through the agency’s fuel assistance program. The Salvation Army in Bluefield also continued Wednesday to receive calls from families in both West Virginia and Virginia in need of home heating assistance.

The Tazewell County Department of Social Services is now accepting heating assistance applications through Friday, Nov. 13, as part of the Virginia Department of Social Services Energy Assistance Program, program coordinator Charlene Monk said.

“I kind of feel like it will be more this year than what we had last year,” Monk said. “We’ve had a lot of new applications so far this year. You are getting these young people who are out of work and have been laid off. And with the recession and the economy like it is, I think you have to expect more than what we’ve been having.”

Those living in lower-income households, and members of at-risk groups such as the elderly and persons with disabilities, have until Nov. 13 to apply for assistance with the DSS office in Tazewell. To qualify for fuel assistance, a one-person household’s maximum gross monthly income cannot exceed $1,174. For a household of four, the maximum gross monthly income level is $2,389.

Monk said residents who received fuel assistance last year, and have not received a pre-printed application in the mail, can contact the energy program processing center at (276) 988-8570 or (276) 988-8571.

At the Bluefield Union Mission, more than 82 families have already requested home heating assistance help since Oct. 11, including 27 families who stopped by the mission offices on Wednesday, director Craig Hammond said.

“It’s been a record day,” Hammond said. “We’ve already had 27 today, and 82 families since the 11th of October. There is a wide variety. One was here for heating oil. A lot of termination notices for electric bills. Eighteen of them are electric, and two people who heat with coal, and one with natural gas.”

Hammond said many senior citizens who won’t receive a cost-of-living increase next year from Social Security also will be needing assistance thanks to skyrocketing utility rates.

The mission also began distributing a large shipment of wool blankets Wednesday morning to individuals needing help staying warm.

“Those will be distributed starting today because the nights are still cold and the mornings are still cold,” Hammond said.

At the Salvation Army in Bluefield, officials are working to meet various home heating needs, including helping those who qualify for participation in the new Energy Dollar program, Captain Jerry Lester said.

“We’ve had quite a few people come in and ask for it,” Lester said. “We’ve also had quite a few people who have called in for kerosene assistance and oil assistance. We are looking for a big increase — especially when the weather starts getting colder.”

Lester said the Salvation Army is handling calls from families in need of help in both West Virginia and Virginia.

“The food pantry is for both the Virginia and West Virginia side,” Lester said. “ We have been helping Virginia people, and we will continue to help Virginia people.”

However, donations to the Salvation Army are down at a critical time with the Angel Tree and holiday kettle drive campaign fast approaching. Lester said officials are hopeful that donations will pick up so that the Salvation Army can help more families in need.

“You’ve got a lot of people on fixed incomes,” Lester said. “You’ve got a lot of people losing their jobs right now, and because of all of this we are seeing a decrease in people giving to us with our donations, and that is hurting us with our assistance,” Lester said.

– Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com