UniBank Fuel Assistance Available to Blackstone Valley Residents

Whitinsville-based UniBank has announced an additional contribution of $10,000 into the UniBank Fuel Assistance Fund in response to the significant need for the program and the rising cost of fuel. This brings the UniBank contributions to the program to a total of $85,000 since it was established in 2000.  The program assists residents of the Blackstone Valley (11 Massachusetts towns) with their home heating fuel costs. The UniBank Fuel Assistance Fund is administered through the Worcester Community Action Council, Inc. (WCAC), which has been in existence for over forty years and currently administers Federal fuel assistance programs.

This donation marks UniBank’s second contribution to renew this fund this year, bringing the total donated to $20,000 for the 2007/2008 winter season. The initial $10,000 renewal was depleted within one month’s time.

“The fuel assistance fund has been a tremendous success, with the need for additional funds growing daily,” said Kenneth J. Redding, UniBank president and CEO. He added, “We are happy to play our part in assisting those in the Blackstone Valley who need assistance in meeting the ever increasing cost of fuel. I would like to urge other businesses to consider contributing to the fuel assistance programs offered through the Worcester Community Action Council to help families in their communities.”

Jill C. Dagilis, executive director of the Worcester Community Action Council stated, “We are thrilled that UniBank has set the standard and is stepping up again, demonstrating their leadership and commitment to serving our most needy residents in the Blackstone Valley area. Every day we see hundreds of people in need who are trying to decide between paying for food, fuel, rent and their most basic needs. I am hopeful that other local businesses will recognize these critical needs and do their part to assist with emergency fuel assistance funding for resident’s who simply cannot make ends meet.”

According to Ms. Dagilis, this is proving to be an extremely difficult year for residents who need fuel assistance support, as evidenced by the immediate exhaustion of UniBank's $10,000 donation within one month from December to January.  WCAC, seeing record breaking numbers of customers applying for fuel assistance, anticipates that over 12,000 households will apply for help this winter season.

The UniBank Fuel Assistance Fund creates a new opportunity for families to receive assistance.  Guidelines established for this program are more flexible than Federal fuel assistance programs.  UniBank and the Worcester Community Action Council want to stress that these funds may be available to families who do not qualify under traditional income guidelines, to families who cannot afford the standard 100-gallon minimum delivery amount, or to those families who may have already reached their annual limit for fuel oil benefits.  Families who have received assistance from this program in previous years are encouraged to apply again.  Assistance applied to oil and other deliverable fuels, although non-deliverable fuels are considered case by case.

For more information on applying for a grant, contact the Worcester Community Action Council, Inc. by calling 508-754-1176 ext. 159.  You may also apply in writing or in person at 484 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Worcester, MA 01608.

For more information on donating to the Worcester Community Action Council’s 2008 Emergency Fuel Fund, contact Donna McGrath at 508-754-1176 ext. 136.