EAST WILTON — Western Maine Community Action, Inc. (WMCA) has stopped taking Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP or Fuel Assistance) applications for this year. Maine State Housing Authority obligated all available funds and ended the program April 12th. HEAP is not an emergency program. It is a supplemental program which is meant to assist in paying part of a household’s heating costs. HEAP provides benefits to eligible households for wood, electricity, propane, oil, kerosene, wood pellets and coal.

In heating season 2022 – 2023, WMCA allocated funds to households in Franklin County from HEAP, Emergency Crises Intervention Program (ECIP, a sub-program of HEAP), Winter Energy Relief Program (WERP or LD 3–from Maine State Legislature) and locally raised funds, including Ecu Share. HEAP paid out $4,690,315 in benefits on behalf of eligible households. ECIP paid out $142,555 in benefits. WERP has paid out $285,600 to date. Locally raised funds paid a total of $70,014 which included $62,665 from the Ecu Share program. That is over 5 million dollars for assisting our neighbors to keep their homes warm.

WMCA will start taking applications for the 2023 – 2024 heating season in July. All applications will be done over the phone. Households who applied last year will get a letter telling them when we will be calling them to do their application. If you did not apply last year, but would like to this year, please call 860-4480 or 1 800 645-9636 so that we can set up an appointment. We do go to all the towns in Franklin County to do applications.

Western Maine Community Action, Inc. is a nonprofit agency providing services to eligible people in Franklin, Androscoggin, and Oxford counties. Services include nutritional services, housing, fuel assistance, weatherization, health navigator services, elder services, family services and information and referral. The agency’s mission is to advocate for, strengthen and coordinate all resources that will assist us in promoting the self-sufficiency and independence of people.