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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMy friend has no heat
I live in upstate NY. It is going to be about minus 10 degrees tonight. My retired friend, living on Social Security, has sold on ebay for the past few year to make extra money, but with the economy, it sometimes cost more than she made, so she stopped. She grows almost all of her own food, cuts her own firewood, is very self-sufficient, but she got heating help from HEAP, a program that helps with heating costs. Her wood allotment was cut from 3 cords last year to one cord this year, and by the time she found out, it was cold and difficult to get into the woods for more wood. Mind you, she is 67 years old.
She has no money for kerosene, not enough wood to keep her house over 50 degrees. She needs kerosene for that. I gave her some wood we had cut, and hope that will hold her over for now. I'm so glad that people like Mitt Romney are keeping their tax cuts, while the poor got their heating help cut by 2/3. BTW, she has to stay there to keep her plants alive, so she can sell some in the spring, and make a few dollars.
God bless America.
crim son
(27,464 posts)Bless your friend and to Hell (if there was one) with the likes of Romney.
IamK
(956 posts)WingDinger
(3,690 posts)Not that life will be much easier.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)If she were in our area, we'd drop off a truckload if I saw that kind of request.
I have no other ideas. What a fucked up world we live in these days when heating assistance is cut for the elderly.
scarletwoman
(31,893 posts)This really bothers me. I've been living in rural areas for most of the past 25 years, a lot of that time heating with wood (not anymore, happily). I just can't imagine there not being someone willing to help her out with putting up enough firewood to get her through the winter, but maybe upstate NY is different from the places I've lived.
I really hope she gets some help. 50 degrees is NOT a livable indoor temperature!
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)in our area my husband and I would load up almost immediately.
Kick for more exposure
Shankapotomus
(4,840 posts)I'm in NJ and don't have a car. Otherwise, I'd bring her some firewood.
Here is the Craigslist results for free firewood in the Catskills area:
http://catskills.craigslist.org/search/zip?query=Free+fire+wood&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=
blaze
(6,373 posts)I'm sitting here in Colorado wondering if there's anything I can do to help.
This sucks.
adigal
(7,581 posts)riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)If you post it regularly over the next few days, more than a few people will see your request for your friend. You could even use your OP as a great Craigslist posting....
It's the MLK 3 day weekend and a fair few people are off for the next two days. It's a great time to catch people who are browsing....
ejpoeta
(8,933 posts)maybe there is some way we could help.
adigal
(7,581 posts)We just found her a cord of free wood. Thank you all so much. I am amazed at how much kindness there is here on this site. If this were on free republic, they would have told her to get off her 67 year old butt right now, and go cut more wood. Thank you.
hyphenate
(12,496 posts)I don't know if that will help, but it helped me--otherwise, I would be frozen, too.
I know it's not a whole lot, but if she needs to get a small heater, I got one for less than $60 and while it's limited to one room, it helps pick up the slack from the radiators here. I don't spend a lot of time in other rooms, anyhow, so it's okay for me.
Does she have a local church? Or if she has oil for heating for anything, she might try to see if her social worker or local SS office can find another resource for her. Some years ago, I was in dire need, and the Salvation Army put 100 gallons into my tank for me.
Any construction going on that might have excess wood that they're tossing out?
If she's getting LIHEAP, she might want to look into getting help from the weather program that they run, where they will come in and help with measures to insulate more and prevent drafts.
I hope some of these suggestions help--I've been there myself.
adigal
(7,581 posts)I just told her about the increase in HEAP and we found someone to bring her a cord of wood tomorrow. I am very thankful for all the suggestions and kindness strangers show here. It is stunning.
coalition_unwilling
(14,180 posts)TheOther95Percent
(1,035 posts)I'd chip in for it. I grew up poor in a cold climate. I know what it's like to be cold in my own house. Thankfully, I have a lot more resources than my mother had and I'd be happy to contribute something to help this woman out and write my idiot Congressional members to complain about the heating cuts.
Joe the Revelator
(14,915 posts)At least in my neck of the woods.
adigal
(7,581 posts)I will tell her that more money was allocated for HEAP this past week. I got her some wood, and my huaband just told me that our local outreach has some wood outside, so I will tell her about that, too. I offered for her, her dog and two cats to come to my house, but she does all organic gardening and is hoping to do a coop next summer and sell organic veggies, so she has a lot of plants from last year still in the house (she will do cuttings, etc.) so she doesn't want to leave, as she will lose all of her plants. We have so extra kerosene in our fuel tank, and I will see if we can get some out to get to her this weekend, also.
Thank you all for your offers of help. I didn't expect that. I really was just venting at how screwed up we are as a country when presidential candidates who are billionaires say the poor are just envious of the wealthy. Not that they are struggling to live or anything.
Peace.
Cherchez la Femme
(2,488 posts)They need to be written to, and about every other human being that is suffering under this Corporate Welfare Only administration & Congress!
deacon
(5,967 posts)"...no money for kerosene, not enough wood to keep her house over 50 degrees."
....this is sad....and this is the America of which the pukes and the rich Mormon are so proud....
"...she has to stay there to keep her plants alive, so she can sell some in the spring..."
....you would think Republicans would be lining-up to help a 67 year old entrepreneur....
Bozita
(26,955 posts)Just call me clueless!
scarletwoman
(31,893 posts)You did a very good thing posting this thread!
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)it is -21 here in the middle of the day and I feel for her. I feel for all of us.
hang a left
(10,921 posts)Of the others who are cold right now. It seems like this lady got handled through the kindness of others. I wish there was an avenue for us that can to help anyone that is cold regardless of their party affiliation.
bvar22
(39,909 posts)Among these are:
*The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
*The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
*The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
*The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
*The right of every family to a decent home;
*The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
*The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
*The right to a good education.
All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being."--- FDR, 1944
Gawd, I miss THAT Democratic Party!
You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
[font size=5 color=green][center]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
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that brings tears
barbtries
(28,811 posts)i'm sure she's not the only one. the timing of the announcement seems to have really boosted the chance of serious hardship for your friend.
fucking republicans. heartless fucking republicans.
pengillian101
(2,351 posts)BrendaBrick
(1,296 posts)tpsbmam
(3,927 posts)I've seen people really respond to requests like this on freecycle. It's a good thing for her to join in general -- people around here are constantly giving away (e.g.) free plants for those who will just come dig them up. Freecycle in general might be a good resource for her. I belong to it here (western NC) and have only given stuff away so far, but I've seen amazing things given away on freecycle -- computers, printers, bikes, furniture, etc. Some were given via being offered to all, others through people who asked for specific items.
JNelson6563
(28,151 posts)While the OP is a discouraging tale of a poor lady in need, look at all the help! Wow DU! Awesome!
I have no help to offer, I'm here in northern MI hoping to manage warmth myself all winter. But I am so heartened to see all this help on this thread!
Thanks DU for renewing my hope for mankind!
Julie
Auntie Bush
(17,528 posts)and national TV stations. Send it to Fox...bet $5000 (lol) they won't mention it...if they did they'd say, "Take a shower and get to work chopping... the exercise is good for you and will warm you up."
Then they would probably say under there breath...Maybe she'll have a heart attack and then we'd have one less person on welfare.
All kidding aside...that the true essence of Rethug thinking.
pansypoo53219
(20,993 posts)sellers get 50 listings for free a month + some classifications like antiques/collectables get 12 photos free. that has really helped as i mostly sell most in those sections.
adigal
(7,581 posts)but she can use the internet at the library,I know. Until her local library closes.
Cherchez la Femme
(2,488 posts)--snail mail-- to her congressperson and Senator.
I knew NNY would be among the first with that trouble... you don;t know Cold until you've wintered in the Adirondacks
adigal
(7,581 posts)my husband went and got it, and brought it over. She is toasty warm now. You are all the best, and make me believe in humanity. Thank you.
Peace.
tpsbmam
(3,927 posts)Soooooo happy to hear she's "toasty warm" now! I keep reminding people about Anne Frank. If she could believe people are basically good, even in the selfish-USA these days, I too can believe that there are still lots of people who are basically really good hearted souls. Clearly, that's true!
Moe the Dog
(8 posts)Is there a way you can allow us to deposit money in her PayPal account?
one_voice
(20,043 posts)I would like to help. I don't have a lot but a little bit from a lot of people is sometimes all you need. Please let us know if there's a PayPal account.
It was through the kindness of DU that my husband was able to start on a cpap machine before he had insurance. I would like to pay that forward.
droidamus2
(1,699 posts)The government doesn't look at what you need to have a reasonable amount of heat for the winter they just give you a certain 'amount', in your friends case wood, and after that it is up to you. I live in Northern Vermont and have been un/under employed for the last 4 or 5 years. The last couple of years I had to apply for financial help with buying propane to keep my home heated (Yes I can use electricity but that gets real expensive too). With the price of gas going up we have gone from being able to buy 2 tanks worth (600 gallons) to 1 tank (300 gallons). We will be lucky if that one tank lasts 6 weeks and we only have the heat turned to 60 degrees (I try to make sure I turn it down even more at night). 1 tank cost us almost $900.00 which took up all the Government money and left us with a bill for $25.00. I'm not bitchin because it is better to have some help than none at all and I have recently entered a training program that will lead to a job that should lead me to be able to cover my own costs from here on out but it would be nice if they considered need rather than just 'helping a little'.
Personally if they could put some kind of controller on the thermostat so you could only turn the heat up to a certain point and thus keep people from using up the fuel by overheating (I'm talking about people that like to keep their homes at >70 all the time) then they could calculate average usage and be able to commit enough money to cover the winter.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)I'm worried about you.
I can afford to heat my place but we keep it at 60 degrees during the day by choice, 55 overnight. We work outside all day (farmers) and are so overdressed when we come in for coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner etc. that if we keep it too warm, we suffer during our breaktimes.
But 60 isn't a great choice for most. DU can help you. Do you also need help?