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Norfolk/Wrentham - Local Town Pages

Home Heating Assistance Available in Wrentham

By Grace Allen
As cold weather arrives, homeowners who need to heat their homes may start to feel a strain on their household budgets. Help is available, however, for any Wrentham resident who meets income eligibility criteria.
Robin Tobin, the outreach worker for the Wrentham Council on Aging, helps Wrentham residents of all ages navigate the town’s fuel assistance program.
“I’m already receiving calls daily from people needing help, especially for heating assistance,” said Tobin. “People are struggling but they can call us and we can help them with the resources that are available.”
Eligibility is based on total household income and household size. The home heating season runs from November 1, 2022 through April 30, 2023. Fuel assistance applications become available on November 1. Applications are free.
Funds for Wrentham residents needing assistance pull from the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP. The eligibility threshold for a four-person household this year is $81,561. Once approved, a monetary credit will be awarded to the account of the applicant’s heating vendor, whether they heat with oil, electricity, natural gas, propane, kerosene, wood, or coal.
Residents who qualify for LIHEAP may also qualify for Self-Help, Inc.’s energy conservation and weatherization programs for their homes. In addition, they may be eligible to receive a discounted rate on their utilities.

Tobin notes that residents’ whose income falls between 60 and 80 percent of the state’s median income level may be eligible for the Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund (GNEF). GNEF, a program available through the Salvation Army, helps Massachusetts residents who cannot meet a month’s energy expense and are not eligible for state or federal assistance.
For more information on these programs, or to make an appointment to complete the paperwork necessary for assistance, contact Robin Tobin at 508-384-5425. 
Residents can also apply directly to Self-Help, Inc., 1362 Main St., Brockton, 508-588-5440 if they prefer. Residents may also call the Salvation Army directly at 800-334-3047 for GNEF help.