As heating season begins, line for assistance grows

Oil prices are down, but it's still a strain for some to fill tanks

Concern and concentration intersect in the creases of Al Wood's brow as he jots notes and prepares to phone his next client, a mother worried about her heat being turned off. Many more calls are to follow - Nancy, Naomi, Dorothea, Frank . . .

Wood, a client services specialist for the fuel assistance program at the nonprofit Action for Boston Community Development, handles emergency heat shut-off calls for the agency, which serves Boston, Brookline, and Newton residents. Though concerns over high energy bills are easing as oil and gas prices have dropped in recent months, the economic crisis and increasing number of layoffs mean many families are still struggling to pay bills.

In fact, calls for help are flooding into ABCD's fuel assistance program faster than ever, according to the agency. Already this year, more than 12,700 aid applications have been filed - an 11 percent increase over the same time last year. The program helps low-income residents pay winter heating bills, mostly by using money from the federal heating assistance program. Last year, the agency distributed $8.5 million to 18,000 families. This year, it has about $13 million to distribute.

Kathy Tobin, ABCD's energy services director, said the faltering economy, as well as recently expanded eligibility guidelines, likely caused the bump in numbers.

But no matter what the reason, she added, it's clear that many people don't have enough money to heat their homes.

"It's still over $600 to fill your oil tank, and you're going to need three or four fills," Tobin said. For ABCD's typical client "that's money that people don't have."

Those in dire need get transferred to Wood, who works out of the agency's office on Tremont Street in Boston.

At first glance, everything about the man is gray and muted: his hair, his cubicle, his clothes. Even the tone of his voice remains neutral when he speaks with clients. But every day, Wood, known as "Woody" around the office, spends eight or more hours - usually more - trying to keep people from freezing inside their homes.

"I'm just like a technician at some level," Wood said between calls on a recent afternoon. "The better I push the paper, the more people it helps."

In the early days of this heating season - which began this month and ends in April - Wood was prepping about 30 emergency vouchers daily. Generally, if ABCD can arrange to cover about 25 percent of the tab, Wood said, a customer can keep the heat on.

One recent morning, he had mostly good news to deliver. Under the expanded guidelines, a family of four qualifies for aid with a maximum income of $53,608, up from $42,400 last winter. The maximum amount of assistance per household is $1,305.

The funds mostly come from the $5.1 billion allotted to the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. This year, Massachusetts will receive $223.5 million - nearly double last year's amount, said Lisa Capone, a spokeswoman for the state's Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Congress approved the increased funding when high heating oil and other fuel prices had many panicked about making it through winter.

About 40 percent of the state's households heat with oil, which peaked at an average price of $4.71 a gallon in July but has since plunged more than 44 percent. A gallon now averages about $2.63.

The state also has pledged to kick in $10 million in heating assistance money, Capone said. About 200,000 Massachusetts households are expected to receive help this winter, about 40 percent more than last winter.

"There's still a number of people, I think, that are going to find it a challenge" to afford oil, Capone said.

And that's why Wood spends so much time at his desk, getting up only occasionally to file paperwork. Over his shoulder, a bright spot catches the eye: An orange poppy-colored card emblazoned with a metallic gold sun.

It reads: "Thanks so very much!"

The card is from a client, Wood says. Then he turns back to his desk, his fingers already dialing the next person in need of help.

Erin Ailworth can be reached at eailworth@globe.com.