Newtown Receives Extension Of Operation Fuel Grant

The Newtown Social Services office has received a first-round supplemental grant to continue emergency distributions for individuals facing the shut-off of electrical service, or those facing catastrophic health issues who cannot pay their electrical utility bills.

Social Services Director Ann Piccini told The Newtown Bee that while her office is in the running for possible additional grants, the current funding can be distributed until it is exhausted or until the grant extension from Operation Fuel expires June 30.

Operation Fuel has reopened its energy assistance program for households that face losing their utility service. The utility companies’ Winter Protection program — the moratorium that prevents shutoffs — ended on Sunday, May 1, and will not go back into effect until November 1.

This past winter, Operation Fuel and its network of more than 100 fuel banks gave out nearly $1 million in energy assistance to more than 2,600 households but had to temporarily stop accepting applications at the end of February when funding ran out.

“Thanks to the generosity of our individual donors, Operation Fuel is able to reopen and run a limited program through June 30. Any additional donations that Operation Fuel receives between now and June 30 will go towards this program,” explained the agency’s Executive Director Patricia Wrice.

Only households that have not received energy assistance this fiscal year from Operation Fuel are eligible.

Operation Fuel is a private, nonprofit statewide program that provides emergency energy assistance to lower-income working families, the elderly, and disabled individuals who are in financial crisis and not eligible for energy assistance from government-funded programs.

Donations can be sent to Operation Fuel, One Regency Drive, Suite 200, Bloomfield CT 06002, or made online at www.operationfuel.org.