Thousands of Rhode Islanders may have no electricity or heat this winter. In these difficult economic times, the number of utility shut offs continues to increase as more and more customers are unable to pay their bills.
This situation is quite perilous for families that cannot afford to heat their homes during the cold winter months that are ahead of us. We call upon Rhode Island’s many Catholics to join Bishop Tobin’s campaign to provide heating assistance by supporting “Keep the Heat On” program.
Bishop Thomas J. Tobin announced this week that once again the Diocese of Providence is offering a program that provides heating assistance for struggling families who have no other means. “Keep the Heat On” is supported by generous donors and is matched, dollar by dollar, up to $75,000 with a matching grant from the Catholic Charity Fund. During the last four years, hundreds of individuals and organizations generously contributed over $900,000 to the campaign that directly helps Rhode Island’s neediest families keep the heat on during the winter months.
The news is not good for many poor and needy families for the coming winter as the economy continues to lag and charities are stretched due to a decline in giving and increase demands on their resources. Many will have their heat and electricity shut off as they are forced to choose between buying food and paying high utility bills. Many elderly Rhode Islanders will have to choose between paying for high priced and much needed prescriptions and keeping their heat on to stay warm. This is not a choice they should have to face and the KTHO can help alleviate this growing problem for the working poor and elderly of Rhode Island.
The “Keep the Heat On” campaign provides an opportunity for Catholics and all people of good will to truly help their neighbors in need. As we begin the prayerful season of Advent and prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas we might consider the words of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI who reminds us that Advent calls “us to commit ourselves to prayer, conversion and good works, to welcome Jesus in our life, to build together with him this spiritual edifice by which each one of us - our families and our communities - is a precious stone.” We can build this edifice of precious stones by generously contributing to the “Keep the Heat” On campaign.
It was truly heartwarming to see the outpouring of support for the diocesan initiative at Monday’s press conference in which Joshua Kraft, Andre Tippett and the entire New England Patriots organization, Gov. Donald Carcieri and several of our state lawmakers demonstrated how crucial this funding is for so many of those in need each winter in the Ocean State.
