Heat rises to $15,763; Clara stays warm
PROVIDENCE - The response to Bishop Thomas J. Tobin’s ‘Keep The Heat On’ Challenge has been “overwhelming,” said Richard Andrade, coordinator of Interfaith Community Dire Emergency Fund.
“It has been overwhelming, both the need and the incredible generosity of so many people.” said Andrade.
To date, Bishop Tobin’s Fund has received $15,763. During the last three weeks, Interfaith has been able to help 60 households turn on the heat. Clara, 73, is a widow living in Central Falls, and until recently, had always kept up with her bills. “This year has been difficult,” she said. “With the cost of everything going up and income pretty much staying the same, it’s been hard, very hard.”
Clara has kept the heat in her home low so far, but with the onset of the cold weather and state heating assistance not available until the end of the year, “I was not sure what I was going to do.” She turned to Interfaith for help. “I hate having to ask for anything; it’s just not the way I was raised,” she said. “This year, thank God for this money. It will be a big help.”
Andrade said that there Interfaith was making a significant effort to restore fuel service to those who had lost it during the summer. “We have been focusing our attention on those families and individuals whose gas or electric heat is still off or those who are without oil. Getting them help before the real wintry cold weather arrives is our top priority.” He noted that the agency also wants to help those, like Clara, behind on their heating bills before turn-offs occur.
Contributions to Bishop Tobin’s “Keep The Heat On” Challenge by check should be made to ‘Interfaith Community Dire Emergency Fund,’ and sent to Interfaith Community Dire Emergency Fund, 184 Broad St., Providence, RI 02903. Please write ‘Keep The Heat On’ Challenge as a notation. All donations will be published in The Providence Visitor unless otherwise requested. To request heating assistance, please call 421-7833 ext. 107.
With returns during the past week, the fund is around $70,000.
This article originally published in The Providence Visitor.