WHAT IS PROJECT WARMTH?
One out of three households on Long Island don't earn enough to make ends meet or heat their homes during the bitter winter months. Many working families are not earning enough money to maintain self-sufficiency and seniors on fixed incomes are having a hard time making ends meet.
If a crisis strikes any of these households, they may be forced into making financial compromises and trade-offs that could be detrimental or even life-threatening. Project Warmth’s Emergency Fuel Fund can make a significant difference for families in our region.
As Long Island’s only non-governmental, island-wide emergency fuel fund, Project Warmth is a safety net for financially struggling individuals and families who are unable to pay their heating bill. This program provides a one-time grant for fuel and/or fuel-related electricity. Payments are made directly to oil and utility companies on behalf of eligible residents facing heating emergencies. For the hundreds of families we help each year, assistance with an oil delivery or utility arrears means they have room in their budgets to cover essentials like food or medication.
With the 2022-2023 cold weather behind us, the Project Warmth Fuel Fund Committee would like to express deep gratitude to every contributor who made it possible for us to help families and senior citizens to keep their homes warm this winter. Despite the myriad of challenges many faced and continue to face, we are fortunate to have a community of faithful, compassionate supporters who helped us serve 1,123 households when they had heating emergencies – including 800 children. We are grateful to our many funders including National Grid Foundation who awarded a generous and unprecedented grant of $350,000 as well as more than 1,000 Long Islanders who contributed through their PSEG utility bills to help their neighbors in need.
Project Warmth 2021-2022 Newsletter
Past Newsletters
As Long Island’s only non-governmental, island-wide emergency fuel fund, Project Warmth is a safety net for financially struggling individuals and families who are unable to pay their heating bill. This program provides a one-time grant for fuel and/or fuel-related electricity. Payments are made directly to oil and utility companies on behalf of eligible residents facing heating emergencies. For the hundreds of families we help each year, assistance with an oil delivery or utility arrears means they have room in their budgets to cover essentials like food or medication.
NEED ASSISTANCE? TO APPLY FOR PROJECT WARMTH DIAL 2-1-1
If you or someone you know needs emergency heating assistance, call United Way’s 2-1-1 Long Island information and referral call center by dialing 2-1-1 (or 1-888-774-7633) Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm, for referrals to an intake site. For a listing of intake sites click here.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Do you receive benefits from a program such as HEAP, Medicaid, SNAP or SSI? If so, contact PSEG Long Island at consumeradvocacyli@pseg.com to learn about the Household Assistance Program (HAP) for savings on your monthly electric bill.
Income-eligible National Grid customers may qualify for the Energy Affordability Program (EAP), which offers monthly bill credits. To learn more, call (800) 930-5003 or visit www.ngrid.com/li-affordable.
Conserve Energy: There are simple actions you can take to weatherize your home and save energy. Visit these partner websites for more information:
PSEG Long Island: www.psegliny.com
Oil Heat Institute: www.ohili.org
National Grid: www.nationalgridus.com
HISTORY OF PROJECT WARMTH
Since 1994, United Way of Long Island has helped area residents in need of home heating to keep warm by joining hands with individual donors, nonprofit, corporate and union partners in support of Project Warmth. Project Warmth began operation in 1994 to help Long Islanders who did not qualify for Federal assistance programs due to income guidelines. Emergency assistance programs that were already in place to address year-long needs were often depleted by the end of the year, leaving many with nowhere to turn for help. Since its inception, Project Warmth has helped to fill the need for emergency heating assistance on Long Island, raising more than $11 million to help more than 30,000 families. Click timeline image to enlarge.
SUPPORT PROJECT WARMTH
Your support of Project Warmth will make a powerful statement that home energy is a basic human need and is equal to other essentials such as food, water, prescription medication, shelter and clothing.
Make a contribution to Project Warmth online, or mail your contribution to United Way of Long Island, Attn: Project Warmth, 819 Grand Boulevard, Deer Park, NY 11729.
Project Warmth is a member of the National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition
For more information, contact Biena Depena, Program Coordinator at bdepena@unitedwayli.org