Recipient Highlight: Penny
When the country shut down due to COVID-19, doctors stopped referring patients for home treatments. Penny found herself unemployed in what seemed like an instant. Many of the people she served as a nurse were senior citizens living on limited Social Security and government assistance. She never thought she would need the same assistance one day, and as a few weeks turned into months, her hope dwindled for receiving unemployment benefits.
With less than $200 a week, Penny was in survival mode. Among her growing financial troubles was her heating bill, which was significantly past due. A source of hope came when Penny’s friend told her about HEAT’s energy assistance funds that she could receive through the local community action agency. She wasted no time preparing the required documents to apply. Penny received the assistance she needed and is grateful for the help in paying her heating bill.
If you are interested in partnering with Walton Gas to help neighbors in need, please visit heatga.org or find the form at the bottom of this month’s Gasette to make a one-time donation or a recurring donation.
HEAT is the oldest statewide fuel fund program in Georgia.
HEAT has distributed $28 million to nearly 115,000 families since it began in 1983.
Eighty cents out of every $1 donated to HEAT goes directly to help families in need.
Average income of households assisted by HEAT last year was $10,232.