Cindy Shea, member of Fellowship Church finds herself on the cover of a Septemberissual of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.  Because the article is in the archives by now, we’ve produced it here on this blog.  God is using Hearts for Heat in a big way this winter!

Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)

Another big chill?

September 10, 2008
Section: NEWS
Page: A1

By    Lee Hammel

WORCESTER – Just in time for the $3.93 per gallon home heating oil season – a 30 percent decrease in federal fuel assistance to needy Massachusetts residents.

Yesterday, about 35 people, including Gov. Deval L. Patrick, attended the third hearing on the state Winter Energy Costs Task Force, held in Hebert Auditorium at Quinsigamond Community College. Mr. Patrick predicted that the rapid increase in the price of heating oil is going to affect more than just low-income people. In a hearing chaired by Energy Secretary Ian Bowles, the governor applauded the Legislature for appropriating $10 million to supplement the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, but he said the state may have to do more. LIHEAP money to Massachusetts will drop 30 percent from about $115 million last winter to $80 million this year, state officials said.
The concern that people are feeling about paying to heat their homes has been noticed everywhere from the Worcester Community Action Council to Home Depot. Mark Sanborn, WCAC director of energy resources, said that more people are applying earlier for assistance.He said income guidelines need to be adjusted because already 81 of those who applied have incomes exceeding the guidelines-by $2,000 in the case of one 81-year-old couple.A Home Depot official testified that there was a run on energy-conserving goods last March that normally the chain does not see until September.The National Energy Assistance Directors Association estimates that more than 15.6 million households could face utility shutoffs because they cannot pay their energy bills, according to U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern. Joseph C. O’Brien, the congressman’s district director, said that the Worcester Democrat and more than 50 other members of a coalition of Northeastern and Midwestern congressmen urged the House leadership to add $3.12 billion to restore LIHEAP funding to its authorized level.

State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan raised the specter of people who can’t afford oil relying on dangerous alternative means of heating their homes. He said there have been 14,000 fires resulting in 15 deaths from the use of alternative heating methods – primarily electric space heaters – over the past five years.Testimony before the task force touched on everything from authorization for research in Worcester for hydrogen fuel cells to the need for needy people to be provided with warm clothing. The latter concern was raised by Dawn E. Clark of the Center for Living and Working, who said, “I worry about being cold.”She noted that people of limited mobility, because of disabilities, face special risks of dealing with cold weather.George Gantz, an official of Unitil Corp., which supplies electricity and gas to Northern Worcester County, said the company’s customers, who have the lowest median income of any utility’s in the state, have done a good job of reducing their fuel use – because they have to.But it could be cold comfort to them, because Unitil has filed for a 30 percent rate increase.

Cindy Shea, founder of Hearts for Heat, a charity that provides fuel to people whose budgets have run short, said the organization has made 150 deliveries in its three years. Her chapter of the organization concentrates on Princeton – not in the same category as Unitil’s customer base.

ART: PHOTOSCUTLINE: (1) Cindy Shea of Princeton, founder of “Hearts for Heat,” voices her opinion last night to members of the Winter Energy Costs Task Force panel of Massachusetts at Quinsigamond Community College. (2) From left, Ian Bowles, secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs, Bill White, EEA director of Federal Relations, and Ann Berwick, EEA undersecretary of Energy, listen to recommendations on winter energy issuesPHOTOG: T&G Staff/STEVE LANAVA