MALONE -- Neighbor helping neighbor, food-stamp outreach and directing people to emergency aid are the keys to Franklin County's preparations for winter.

A conference Thursday pulled together legislators, county service agencies and other organizations to see where the county stands to combat what is expected to be a tough and expensive heating season.

And more proactive measures will be discussed when some of the same officials meet Aug. 12 to identify possible gaps in coverage and services that could occur in the thick of the winter and how best to minimize them.

HELP FROM HEAP

Participants heard about the Home Energy Assistance Program, where income-eligible households get a one-time maximum fuel credit of $585 for the season but can apply for an additional $700 in emergency-fuel help and a $135 voucher to prevent electricity interruptions.

HEAP is awarded to all food-stamp recipients and those on public assistance, no matter the heating source, so those eligible could include wood and wood-pellet users and propane customers.

Benefit applications will be mailed on Aug. 25, but no money will be released until the program starts on Nov. 3.

MIDDLE-CLASS MONEY

For the first time, according to Ona Rushford, director of financial services at the Department of Social Services, the county might also have access soon to another pool of money that could help middle-class families with their heating costs by raising the income-eligibility level to cover more households.

"Most of our workers are not eligible for anything, and we're hoping this other pot of money will help them."

An educational push is on to get more people to go on food stamps, since everyone who qualified automatically gets HEAP, which means families saving on grocery bills will have more to put toward fuel and other expenses.

WEATHERIZATION

Hand in hand with HEAP is the weatherization and EmPower programs administered by ComLinks, where income-eligible and senior-citizen households can get a maximum of $4,500 in home winterization done to increase energy efficiency and replace aging refrigerators, freezers and hot-water heaters with energy-efficient ones.

Each year, about 65 homes are weatherized, but the waiting list has more than 200 names.

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