Program heats homes of those facing hardship
Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2008
BROOKE McNEELY Northwest Arkansas Times Kenneth Callahan, center, give his daughter Haley, 2, a plate of food Tuesday during the kickoff for the Hearts Warming Homes program at the Activity Center in Fayetteville. For the past five years, the Salvation Army has received money from Arkansas Western Gas Co. and other donors to help pay heating bills for families in need during the winter months.
Kenneth Callahan usually finds a seasonal job around the holidays to help out his family of four. This year he said with the economy down, he can’t find a job.
Without that money coming in, Callahan said paying bills can be a challenge.
“ Our electric bill was over $120 last month,” he told a group that gathered Tuesday at the Salvation Army for the kick off of the Hearts Warming Homes project. “The Salvation Army paid $71 on the bill and kept (the electricity) from being shut off.”
This is the fifth year for the program that provides heating assistance to people in need. Callahan said this is the first time he has had to utilize the program.
“This will help us get through the holidays. It will help us buy Christmas presents and gas to get around,” he said. He was joined at the event by his wife, Carrie, his 1-year-old son, Montana, and daughter Haley, who is almost 3.
Hearts Warming Homes is a joint effort between Arkansas Western Gas Co. and the Salvation Army. Since the program began in 2004, the statewide campaign has raised more than $175,000 to help individuals and their families.
Arkansas Western Gas launched this year’s campaign Tuesday with a $25,000 donation. The company will also give its customers a chance to made donations by rounding up their natural gas bill payments at any point throughout the year.
Since the program began, 1,075 families representing 3,014 individuals in Northwest Arkansas and northern Arkansas have received more than $96,000 in heating assistance.
Robert Mahler, chairman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, said he expects more people to utilize the program this year.
Barbara Whitlow, social service coordinator for the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the Salvation Army, said she is already seeing that.
“There are a lot of new families. They were making it last year but just aren’t able to make it this year,” she said.
Carole McKibbin of the Benton County Salvation Army, is also expecting to see that trend.
“With all the layoffs and foreclosures, I’m sure we’ll see more people,” she said. “Hopefully it will get better.”
While the Callahan family is one of those new families, Sandra Wilson from Benton County has utilized the program before. Wilson said her husband was injured three years ago and can no longer work.
“People give more to help more people,” she said. “It’s helped us a lot.”
Wilson said she has found a way to show her appreciation.
“This will be my second year to ring the bells for the Salvation Army,” she said. “It’s my way to give back.”
Marshall Moody, manager of load development for Arkansas Western Gas, said they are expecting to help 1,400 families in Northwest Arkansas this year, regardless of their fuel source. Distributed funds may be used for any heat source including natural gas, electricity, propane and wood.
“We are recognizing the needs of the community, and I am proud to be a part of a program that does just that,” Moody said.
Maj. Richard Watts, the Salvation Army’s Northwest Arkansas area commander, agreed.
“The mark of a great community is not how good your football team is, how many millionaires you have... the mark is how well we take care of our community,” Watts said. “Our greatest asset is the opportunity to say, ‘Yes. We can help you.’”
Whitlow said it is hard to have to say “no” to someone in need and, “I haven’t had to do it for a long time.”
To utilize Hearts Warming Homes, contact a local Salvation Army office. Three forms of ID must be provided, one must be a photo ID, Social Security cards for everyone in the home and a current energy bill. Clients will complete an energy assistance form with documentation of income and expenses as well as the documentation of the emergency situation.
In Fayetteville, the Salvation Army is at 219 W. 15 th St. and can be reached at 521-2151, and in Bentonville it is located at 3305 SW I St. and can be reached at (479) 271-9545. There are branches of the Salvation Army in many area communities, and more information can be found at http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf.
Arkansas Western Gas customers are not the only people who can donate. Donations may be dropped off at any Salvation Army office.
“The more people that give, the more people we can help,” Whitlow said.
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