PROVIDENCE — This January, most of the country experienced an extreme cold weather event, with snowfall in the southern states along the Gulf Coast and negative temperatures in other places. While occurrences of snow and cold temperatures are not uncommon in Rhode Island, the frigid winters bring heating issues to residents who may be struggling to fuel their homes.
The Diocese of Providence’s Keep the Heat On program, launched 20 years ago by Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, fills this need. And according to Jim Jahnz, Secretary for Catholic Charities and Social Ministry, this year is already on track to outpace last year’s giving.
“We got hit with single-digit temps this week and with those single-digit temperatures, our requests for emergency assistance doubled,” Jahnz stated. “Staff has been inundated with calls as other programs have exhausted their funding. So, people are really turning to Keep the Heat On for lifesaving heat.”
He noted that all programs across the diocese have seen an increase in people requesting services over the past year or so. “But what becomes acute this time of year is the need for heating assistance.”
The Diocese of Providence is not the only source of aid for Rhode Islanders who cannot afford heating costs, but the KTHO program requests that those in need exhaust or be ineligible for all other state, federal or private heating assistance. Prior to mid-January, requests for assistance were minimal, but the single-digit temperatures sent need skyrocketing, and calls began flooding in as some other agencies exhausted their means of aid. Last year, the program provided around $200,000 worth of heating assistance to residents in need. Jahnz expects this year to surpass that.
“While we were maybe a little ahead of the game, this past week has wiped that all away. In Keep the Heat On, we always know there’s a ‘Frozen February,’” Jahnz said.
“Right now, we’re tracking well ahead of last year. We easily anticipate … that this will be one of our bigger years,” he said.
He praised the faithful of the diocese for their generosity so far – parishes and schools, individuals and corporations – and trusts that this generosity will continue throughout the rest of winter. As the program relies solely on donations, Jahnz wanted to remind those within the diocese that this year “the need for help is very high.”
Many of the recipients of this program are elderly men and women on fixed incomes, families in financial crisis and individuals who find themselves out of work. One such beneficiary was an 80-year-old woman whom the oil company itself referred her to the diocese. She had been saying her rosary for aid and her prayer was answered through Keep the Heat On.
Another woman called the diocese after suffering an illness that put her out of work. Jahnz reported that she “had children in the home and nowhere else to turn. She turned to us.”
Every penny that goes into the Keep the Heat On program goes right back to heat homes of needy residents. Most homes use heating oil, the cost of which can be very fluid. This year, prices have been stable, Jahnz reported with relief. This
makes heating more affordable, but changes in the market or supply chain could bring dramatic price fluctuations. It is also difficult to prepare in advance for periods of colder temperatures. Additionally, Jahnz warns that even as spring approaches, the need for heat remains, especially at night when temperatures drop.
Jahnz calls it “heartbreaking” to see households go without heat in the cold Rhode Island winter. “This is one of the truly life-saving programs. I’ve been in homes that are cold, cold, and to see someone who is elderly wrapped in blankets because they have no heat or are keeping it low because they’ll run out — that’s why this program is important.”
With inflation driving up the cost of living, families can be forced to choose between paying for food or heat. “This is one of the manifestations of that assistance that the Church in the diocese can provide,” Jahnz said.
He remains confident that the people of the diocese will continue supporting Bishop Tobin’s legacy program as they have for the last 20 years, warming hearts and homes, as the bishop himself said.
TO DONATE,
please send tax-deductible donations to:
“Keep the Heat On,”
One Cathedral Square, Providence, RI, 02903.
If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please visit the website at www.heatri.com or call 401-421-7833 for more information.