Winter isn’t yet here, but the call center at Northeast Kingdom Community Action is already getting inundated with calls from people who need help paying their fuel and electric bills.
“We’ve been getting upwards of 20 calls a day,” said Heather Alger, who leads NEKCA’s economic access department.
The price of fuel oil for home heat is up about $2 per gallon over this time last year.
Alger said a host of factors are to blame for the need she’s seeing in the Northeast Kingdom — the war in Iran has made diesel prices soar, but the overall rise in the cost of living is really what’s driving more people to seek aid for the first time.
“Many stories have been: My rent increased, and now I just simply cannot afford to pay my bills anymore,” Alger said.
And, notably, it’s not just people living in poverty who are struggling with energy costs. She said her agency is getting more calls this year from people earning a moderate income.
“We have people we’re working with right now that are making $60,000 or $70,000 a year, and with the house mortgage and car payment, they just can’t pay their bills anymore,” she said.
It’s a pattern that extends beyond the Northeast Kingdom. David Cornwell, a public school teacher from Wallingford, said he’s worried about his students and some of his neighbors staying warm this winter.
“I know for a lot of my students who maybe are struggling more with income and their family situations, that this is going to be a real stressor for them and their families,” he said. “And I worry about how it’s going to affect their ability to come to school prepared every day.”
Cornwell said his own family has had to cut back this year to plan for higher heating costs. He has a daughter in college, and his wife works two jobs.
Gasoline prices are also putting pressure on Vermonters. The price of gasoline is up almost a dollar and a half over what it was this time last year. Diesel prices are up even higher. Giovanny Rodriguez of St. Albans said if fuel prices stay high, he may have to start walking to work this winter.
"When I used to make a lot less money ... that same amount of money, even though it was less, it went further."Giovanny Rodriguez, St. Albans
“I consider myself lucky,” Rodriguez said. “Me and my wife, we make decent money. I mean, I’m not rich by any stretch of the imagination. But even with that, we’re having a hard time making some payments and struggling balancing things.”
He said so far, they’ve been able to make ends meet by strategically paying their mortgage, utility bills and credit card off on different dates, sometimes taking a late fee.
They don’t go out to eat anymore, and they’ve cut back on their phone bill, eliminated subscriptions. Still, Rodriguez said, it’s tough.
“When I used to make a lot less money 10, 15 years ago, that same amount of money, even though it was less, it went further.”
The federal government supplies states with fuel assistance through the LIHEAP program. Last year, a government shutdown delayed the release of funds, but officials with the Agency of Health and Human Services say they expect this year’s federal funding to be released on time, before Nov. 1.
If you’re worried about affording heating fuel or the cost of a new furnace, state officials say now is the time to apply for assistance, before your fuel tank is empty. Federal assistance is generally available for households making 185% of the federal poverty level or less — about $2,500 per month for a household of one. And crisis fuel assistance is available to households at 200% of the federal poverty level.
Alger, of NEKCA, pointed out that these resources are funded by taxes that every Vermonter pays into.
“It’s not a handout,” she said. “This isn’t something you should be ashamed of. It is something that is there to help you get through the winter.”
