CUMBERLAND — A elderly man recently said that without the assistance provided by Bishop Thomas J. Tobin’s “Keep the Heat On” campaign, he would have been forced to continue sleeping in the cold.
“I recently slept one night without oil,” said the 89 year-old man, who did not wish to be identified. He added that he could not afford to have his oil burner restarted and also pay for a tank of oil. In desperation, he turned to the Interfaith Dire Emergency Fund, who provided 100 gallons of fuel.
The man is a longtime parishioner of St. Joseph Church, Central Falls whose only income is a small social security pension. He spends $42 a week on gasoline and drives daily to a nursing home to spend a few hours with his wife, who has suffered three strokes and is paralyzed.
“It costs me six dollars a day just to visit her,” he lamented. “I feed her every noontime to make sure she has a nutritious meal.”
The man said that the fuel assistance from the “Keep the Heat On” campaign has been a tremendous help.
“It was like being in heaven to have heat and hot water,” he recalled, noting that he was able to scrape together $130 dollars to pay to have his oil burner restarted. The man added that the last time he had the tank filled, he was forced to borrow $300 from his children to pay for the fuel.
When asked how he would get through the winter, he replied “I don’t know. I just go day by day.”
To donate to the “Keep the Heat On” campaign, or to obtain information on how to apply for assistance, visit www.heaatri.com or call 421-7833.
