Call it a heart-warming kind of cold comfort. With mild and frigid winter weather alternating to drive a blizzard of local calls to a home heating assistance program funded by Venezuela’s socialist ? and President Bush-bashing ? regime, U.S. program managers recently turned its discount heating oil offering into a free one.
“Households receiving [state] fuel assistance can get 100 free gallons [of heating oil or kerosene] directly from their dealer,” said Citizens Energy Corp. Communications Director Brian O’Connor of a CITGO Petroleum Corp.-sponsored program that, initially this season, offered up to 200 gallons of heating oil at a 40 percent discount.
“We notified all the dealers that they can do that,” O’Connor added, “because the dealers already have the eligibility proof for all their [state] fuel assistance clients…. This is a way of facilitating stepped-up deliveries in this time of greater need.”
O’Connor explained that those not eligible for state assistance () can still qualify ? by calling 1-877-563-4645 ? if their household income is at or below 60 percent of their area’s median family income. Only one or the other of Citizens Energy’s programs may be used per season, however, O’Connor said.
Owned by Venezuela’s state-owned petroleum company, CITGO has been accused of subsidizing the heating oil outreach only to embarrass President Bush. O’Connor noted, however, that, of all the oil companies approached, CITGO was the only company to respond to the nonprofit’s appeal.
Chaired by Joseph P. Kennedy II, Citizens Energy has set aside 8 million gallons (of 80 million slated for 17 states and jurisdictions) for the estimated 40,000 qualifying households in the tri-state area ? 15,000 of which reside in Maryland. According to O’Connor, 30,000 regional families have already qualified.
“It helped me out when I needed it,” said Darlene Randall, a Baltimore City employee and resident who recently received the 100-gallon windfall after calling The Examiner for contact information. Randall was unaware of the program’s controversial nature.
“We think it’s great. It’s taking care of lower-income families, making sure they have heat,” said Gregg Coté, sales manager for Baltimore’s Alliance Fuel Co., which rolled the discount program out in November and has now shifted to the free program.
In addition to the state energy assistance and Citizens Energy’s offering, Marylanders in need can also apply to the Fuel Fund of Maryland for help.
