PROVIDENCE — For the past 20 years, Keep the Heat On has been a lifesaver for thousands upon thousands of Rhode Island households. Since it began in 2005, the program has continued to provide heating assistance to Rhode Islanders who have exhausted all other public and private forms of assistance. Keep the Heat On has contributed nearly $4.4 million of heating assistance to 17,750 Rhode Island families and individuals to help keep warm during the winter.
“I so often think how grateful I am that Bishop Thomas J. Tobin instituted the program,” said James Jahnz, Secretary of the Office of Catholic Charities and Social Ministry. “When you think of the great impact it has had on the lives of everyday Rhode Islanders whose homes would be dangerously cold in the winter without the program, it is easy to call this program one of the central outreach programs the diocese has.”
This season began at a kickoff event held last week, where Diocesan Administrator Msgr. Albert A. Kenney presented a donation in the amount of $4,000 to New Bridges for Haitian Success, a dynamic organization dedicated to empowering Haitian immigrants in Rhode Island through a range of comprehensive services and programs. This gift will be used specifically by families unable to access heating assistance due to cultural or language barriers.
“With winter fast approaching us, many Rhode Island households are naturally worried about the prospect of keeping the heat on,” said Msgr. Kenney.
“For some, it might mean having to choose between paying for food or heat as increasing energy costs strain households with fixed incomes.”
In addition, Msgr. Kenney also announced that Keep the Heat On will initiate an expedited process for Haitian households that need heating assistance working with Father Joseph Brice, pastor of St. Patrick Church, Providence.
“Keep the Heat On is a whole community effort,” said Msgr. Kenney. “Our newest partnership with New Bridges for Haitian Success will help us overcome barriers to getting this critical heating assistance to those in need within the local Haitian community.”
Bernard Georges, founder and executive director of New Bridges for Haitian Success, told Rhode Island Catholic, that a donation like this helps the organization provide critical assistance to the Haitian community.
“This is the right moment; this is the right time. We have refugee families that struggle to afford electricity, so this is very meaningful and is going to have a significant impact so at least those families, especially those families with babies, don’t have to worry about the heat.”
Case manager Rolande Martial witnessed the challenges many Haitian families are facing firsthand and explained that the staff at New Bridges for Haitian Success are working hard to enrich the skills of refugees.
“This gift is a tremendous help in assisting them because they need a lot, especially work and housing,” adding that many clients struggle to afford rent and are living together in one room apartments. “A lot of them come with a good education in Haiti and they’re still having difficulties because of the language barrier. But right now, we’re trying to kind of meet them where they’re at, to help them get a good job. They are very smart and want to work.”
For almost two decades, the homes of the elderly, homes with newborn babies, the homes of those less fortunate have been warmed through this program. And the only way this happens is through the generosity of thousands upon thousands as well, said Jahnz.
“Whether it is a parish donation from the pastors and people in the pews, our friends who contribute directly to the program, or our many corporate donors, Keep the Heat On brings out the best of our Diocese: our neighbors helping each other.”
For years the local Knights of Columbus councils have been holding special events to raise funds for Keep the Heat On. Robert Moniz of the Knights of Columbus St. Francis Council 2011 told Rhode Island Catholic that the community is happy to support the program’s mission.
“Through our councils, family and friends, we have raised over $20,000, with a recent pasta dinner fundraiser bringing in $500. People in our state are hurting big time and if we can alleviate some of their concerns, we are doing something right.”
Just this past week, the Santoro family of Santoro Oil visited the Diocese of Providence to make a generous donation to Keep the Heat on.
“We’re a Catholic family so we like to give back,” said Tia Santoro. “I think this is a really good program and it helps to bridge the gap between what the government is doing for people and what they’re not. You have a lot of elderly people that are on fixed incomes, and with inflation going up, their incomes do not. It’s making it harder and harder just to heat your home. It’s a large expense and so they struggle.”
The Santoro family has been very generous to the Keep the Heat on program over the past few years, explained Jahnz.
“Mr. Santoro gives from the heart and has genuine concern for the people of Rhode Island. His donation has a sizable impact on the services that we can offer. There are homes that will stay warm during a cold snap this winter thanks to Mr. Santoro.”
In a similar way, the hundreds of donors this year should know that there are thousands throughout the state that will be relieved to know that they won’t have to face a cold February morning with an empty oil tank.
“That is the impact our donors have,” said Jahnz. “They are providing physical warmth, to be sure, but they are also providing a warm assurance that families won’t have to worry about their spouse or their young ones waking up cold on a frigid morning”
Rhode Islanders in need can receive assistance by visiting www.HeatRI.com or by calling 401-421-7833. Donations to the fund are also accepted at www.HeatRI.com.
