Project Warmth Emergency Fuel Fund

United Way of Long Island works with nonprofit and corporate community partners to administer Project Warmth, Long Island’s only non-governmental emergency fuel fund. Project Warmth provides one-time grants to oil and utility companies on behalf of residents facing heating emergencies. Through our network of partner agencies, case managers help connect families to local resources to find permanent solutions to their financial difficulties.

  • In 2008-09, $605,000 in grants were distributed through Project Warmth with an average grant of $425.

  • 1,398 families—including 1,929 children—were helped to stay warm last winter.


The Need

  • According to the NYS Deptartment of Labor, over 125,000 Long Island residents filed for unemployment benefits this year to provide basic necessities for their families.Of this number, 76% of the unemployed are supporting young children at home.
  • In 2006, Long Island Cares reported 259,387 Long Island residents turned to emergency food programs.
  • 165,000 Long Island households live below the federal poverty line—52,000 are children.
  • In 2009, there were 3,512 Suffolk home foreclosures and 2,762 Nassau foreclosures (a 63.6% increase from last year).
  • Home heating oil prices are currently at $2.905 per gallon. For a family on unemployment that means finding $780 to fill their fuel tank in a budget already stretched to the limit.
  • The average Long Island home uses 800 gallons of oil a year. At today’s prices that’s $2,324 per year.
  • For working families, 25 percent of their total income is spent on heating costs.
  • More than 42% of families seeking assistance indicated having to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities/heating fuel.

 

How You Can Help

Long Islanders can make contributions to Project Warmth online, through the yellow envelopes in their energy bills, by sending donations directly to Project Warmth at 819 Grand Boulevard, Deer Park, NY 11729 or by calling United Way of Long Island at 631.940.3757.

For more information, contact Lois Grant, project coordinator, at lgrant@unitedwayli.org or 631.940.3746.
Note: If you are a household seeking Project Warmth assistance, please contact a participating agency directly. The project coordinator does not process applications.

Project Warmth Top Sponsors

Oil Heat Comfort Inc.

Additional Project Warmth Sponsors Include:
NYS Assembly 5th District Ginny Fields
NYS Assembly 1st District Marc Alessi
Flushing Savings Bank