Help WAIM Help Neighbors Struggling to Afford Heat and Utilities

On Sunday, November 18, Windham Area Interfaith Ministry (WAIM) will hold their annual Walk for Warmth to raise money for the organization’s 2018 Energy Assistance Program. WAIM is actively seeking people from greater Windham and throughout Connecticut to support this cause. The non-profit’s Energy Assistance Program has served as a safety net for low-income working families in the greater Windham area for the last 26 years, helping keep utilities on in cold weather.

• According to a May 18, 2018 article published in USA Today, Willimantic is the poorest town in Connecticut.
• For 538,529 people in Connecticut, one unexpected bill can mean the difference between having a warm living space with electricity and choosing between basic needs like utilities, heat, food, housing, childcare or healthcare.
• In the town of Windham alone, some 13,800 residents qualify as ALICE -- asset-limited, income-constrained, employed – with an annual income somewhere between $11,880 and $24,672.
• The percentage of adults from 18 to 24 years old living in poverty is double in Windham than in Connecticut.

To meet the ever-increasing needs of residents in financial crisis, the Walk for Warmth is seeking to expand the number of supporters who walk its short, 2-mile route through Willimantic to raise a goal of $40,000 this year. WAIM is inviting individuals, faith-based organizations, schools, colleges, civic/social groups and clubs to step up by stepping out this year. Participants will meet at St. Joseph’s Church on Jackson Street in Willimantic between 1:00 and 2:15 p.m. on November 18, registering for $25 per walker and delivering any additional pledges that friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors have generously contributed toward the cause. An optional interfaith service precedes the walk at 1:30pm, with the walk beginning at about 2:15pm.

“The Walk for Warmth is so important for so many people in this community,” explains Victoria Nimirowski, director of WAIM. “With the national economy improving, many people forget that our state is still in financial crisis. Programs that help under-resourced individuals and families have been cut, while living expenses are still going up. The employment market offers limited job security, no benefits, and unreliable wages. All this makes WAIM’s energy assistance program even more critical. We are able to respond immediately to the personal financial crises that are crippling so many area families.”

Since 2007, WAIM has distributed $799,645 in energy assistance to 7,154 people from 2,766 local families. Last year, proceeds from the event helped 351 people from 142 families to access heat, hot water or electricity.

Nimirowski shared a story of a family recently helped by WAIM’s Energy Assistance Program: “Maria C. is a hard working mother of three young children. She does her best to stretch her dollars as far as she can to take care of her family. Earlier this year, she was laid off from her job around the same time she received a shut-off notice from the electric company. The utility required her bill of $326 to be paid in full to keep her electricity on. If she did not pay the bill on time, she faced an additional $50 fee to reconnect power. In this case, WAIM was able to pay the electric bill, avoiding shut-off and the additional fee. Fortunately, work at the factory picked up, and Maria is once again employed and covering the family’s expenses. This is a typical example of how our program helps.”

Individuals and organizations interested in participating in the Walk for Warmth should contact Evelyn Solla at WAIM, 860-456-7270 ext. 12. People unable to walk can visit www.waimct.orgto donate online.

For more information, visit www.waimct.orgor follow the event on Facebook @WAIMwalk or @WAIMonFB, and on Twitter @WAIMwalk.