For Immediate Release
2003-10-29
For further information contact:
Jim Keech, President, Utilities Kingston, 546-1181 ext. 2217; or David Cliff, North Kingston Community Health Centre (program administration), 542-2949
AS TEMPERATURES DROP, UTILITIES KINGSTON EMPLOYEES SHARE THE WARMTH
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RELATED LINKS
SHARING THE WARMTH
Find out more about the Share The Warmth program and how Utilities Kingston helps.
MAKE A DONATION
Visit the Share the Warmth Web site to make a donation.
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Utilities Kingston is pleased to report a timely $600 donation made by its employees to the Share the Warmth energy assistance program that purchases heat and energy on behalf of families, seniors, chronically ill and disabled persons living at or near the poverty level.
Share the Warmth (STW) converts 100 per cent of all public donations to heat for households and relief agencies in need. Since 1995, the charity has provided energy assistance to 20,000 individuals in Ontario.
Utilities Kingston has been a STW program partner for the last three years and its customers have warmly supported the program by either returning a donation pamphlet found in Utilities Kingston statement of accounts, or by simply calling 1-900-565-WARM and charging an automated donation to their telephone bill. UK customers can also make a secure online donation at www.sharethewarmth.org.
APPLICANT UTILITY STATUS
74 applications were approved in Kingston & Frontenac County last season, 8% were in threat of homelessness/eviction, 7% received assistance to reconnect their utility service or receive fuel oil, and 42% were in threat of service termination/homelessness. An additional 43% of households assisted were in emergency circumstances due to the onset of sudden illness, loss of income, or an inability to provide basic necessities such as food, rent or necessary medicine.
LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE
The maximum amount of assistance was set at $200, with $145.92 being the average amount of assistance per household. The average amount of assistance for approved Utilities Kingston customers was $145.44.
RATE OF REPEAT USER'S
A two year analysis shows a repeat-user rate of only 3%. Clearly, the assistance is not being used as a long-term funding dependency solution to the chronically under funded, low-income consumer. Rather, evidence suggests that STW successfully delivers as an emergency, needs-based, just-in-time assistance program.
APPLICANT INCOME STATISTICS
Out of the approved households in Kingston & Frontenac County, 28% were either employed or receiving employment insurance. 58% were receiving disability or pension benefits and 31% were receiving social assistance benefits.
DEMOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
- (59) - Number of families with households having at least one child under 21
- (123) - Number of children in total
- (56) - Number of disabled/terminally ill persons
- (1) - Number of senior citizens
- (74) - Number of applications approved in Kingston & Frontenac County
- (233) - Total number of people assisted
HOW TO DONATE TO SHARE THE WARMTH
Utilities Kingston customers wanting to donate to Share the Warmth can return the donation pamphlet in their Utilities Kingston bill or call 1-900-565-WARM to charge an automated donation to their telephone bill. Customers can also make a secure online donation at www.sharethewarmth.org
Utilities Kingston officials note that there is an option of directing donation to families and agencies in the Kingston area or to areas with the greatest need.
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