Being cold is no fun and especially for someone on a small fixed Maine income that needs a helping hand with the winter oil heating bill.
Wearing a snow suit inside during Wheel of Fortune or re-runs of Law and Order (DUN DUN sound) does not make 52 the new 68 degrees for a living room temperature setting.
We have no polar bears, igloos, dog sled teams to get around in Maine, but it does get nippy.
Had an older past Maine real estate customer give me a tip about help for the home owner who is not flush with cash to spring for a load of heating oil. He called it “Joe’s Oil”, low income assistance for Maine heating fuel. The Citizens Energy Intiative from the Kennedy Foundation is one neat, literally heart warming program to talk up, spread the word about for any one living in the cold weather states in the country. This fellow told me this morning he received a free 100 gallons of kerosene last year, again this year to heat his Maine trailer home.
Discounted and out right free oil if the application paperwork for assistance is filled out, sent in has helped many since the program started in Maine, the northeast since 1979.
Here’s more on how to apply in Maine for winter heating oil assistance. Call toll free 1-800-452-4668 for more on the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (commonly called LIHEAP or HEAP.)
LIHEAP or HEAP provides money to low income Maine homeowners and renters to help pay their heating costs. The funds are distributed throughout Maine by 11 Community Action Programs, in most cases directly to the fuel vendors. So check for more details at whoever you buy your oil, gas from now for more on help to keep from being cold this winter in Maine.
The program is not intended to pay for all heating costs, but to assist in paying the heating bills.
Again tap out or dial 1-800-452-4668.
Apply for LIHEAP and to be automatically considered for the Low Income Assistance Plan and the Appliance Replacement, Weatherization and Central Heating Improvement programs, contact your local Community Action Program (CAP) agency.
Please also stop shivering, thinking there is no help, that no one cares. Any Mainer in this situation, or if you know of one, have them call or help them get in touch with the Citizens Energy at
1-877-JOE-4-Oil (1-877-563-4645) to receive a heating fuel oil assistance application. Please note that the number experiences an extremely high volume of calls.
Call center hours are Monday-Friday, 9AM-5PM Eastern Standard Time. Spread the word, make others warm this Maine winter.
I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com