Heating Season Is Here: HEAP Applications Now Open

Heating season has begun, and applications for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) are now open on our online portal. HEAP helps eligible households pay their heating bills through the colder months. If you’re applying for the first time, you can book an appointment for one-on-one help with your application at our Worcester office. Appointments are for first-time applicants only.

Have questions about your application or eligibility? Email heap@wcac.net and our team will be happy to help!

More help is available to Massachusetts families this winter.

Governor Healey announced increased HEAP benefits for eligible households and a new one-time benefit of up to $680 for qualifying middle-income households who heat with oil.

Expanded support to help more families stay warm this winter

Learn more: mass.gov/heatinghelp

Head Start and REC Bring Six Garden Beds to Southbridge

On November 6, WCAC Head Start and the Regional Environmental Council (REC) are installing six raised garden beds at our Southbridge Head Start center at 25 Cole Ave. The beds will be an outdoor classroom where children our classrooms will plant, tend, and harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Children will count seedlings, watch plants grow, and taste what they’ve grown, and extra produce will go home with them.

Families can join in through planting days and harvest celebrations. “Learning happens inside and outside of the classroom,” said Head Start Director Kathleen Dow.

Our Resiliency Center’s free Community Days bring the help you need together in one room. Stop by from 11am to 1pm to:

• Rent: Apply for RAFT if you’re behind on rent or facing eviction
• Utilities: Get help paying heating and utility bills
• Food: Apply for SNAP benefits with someone by your side
• Education: Explore learning opportunities for you and your family with local schools and colleges
• More support: Meet 30+ local organizations in one room
• 
  

No appointment needed. Please bring:

• Photo ID
• A utility bill
• Proof of income
• Your lease and a crisis letter (such as a shutoff or eviction notice), if they apply to you

Missing something? Come anyway, and we’ll tell you what you still need.

Questions? Email resiliency@wcac.net.

Launch Your Career in Clean Energy: Cohort 2 Now Recruiting

Cohort 1 of our Clean Energy WX program is underway, and you can apply to join our next cohort. This free, paid training program is for young adults ages 18 to 24. It combines hands-on weatherization and energy efficiency training with paid work experience at local employers. Participants earn a weekly stipend and industry certifications (Lead Renovator RRP, OSHA 10, and Confined Space).

They also get case management, financial coaching, and a year of support after they finish. Contact TSmith@wcac.net or (508) 754-1176 ext. 134 with any questions about the program!

50 Years of Weatherization: Lower Your Energy Bills for Good

On October 30, National Weatherization Day marked 50 years of the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). Both tenants and homeowners can qualify for the program, which permanently lowers energy bills by adding insulation, weather-stripping, and other upgrades. That keeps homes warmer in winter and cooler in summer. The work is free for households eligible for HEAP or discounted utility bills, and for households in some other programs.

Contact us to find out if you qualify. Email energy@wcac.net to get started!