More people are turning off the heating in their homes as the cost-of-living bites deeper and the Fifeshire Foundation is looking for more superannuants who do not need their winter energy payment to pay it forward and help keep families warm.
Last year, the foundation ran a winter grants programme based on superannuants donating their government winter energy payment and it became part of a fund of nearly $10,000. That helped 161 families warm their homes by either covering some of their power costs or receiving one of the 73 loads of firewood delivered around Nelson and Tasman.
This year, the foundation’s executive officer Shanine Hermsen says it is tougher for more families and nominations for the winter grants have been flooding in since the opening date at the beginning of May.
“In the past, we used to help with the ‘nice to haves’, but over the years that has changed to a lot more challenging needs. We’re seeing families with two incomes who can’t make ends meet and this helps them stay warm through winter. We’ve got stories of people who literally can’t put the heating on in winter because they can’t afford it, so they just stay cold and get the blankets out.”
For some, she says the rent leaves little left over for expenses each week, let alone heating. Nominations for the winter grants are submitted from various agencies rather than families making an application and then those nominations go through an approval process with the foundation trustees. Successful nominations can receive up to $500 for power or a load of firewood delivered, depending on the size of the family.
“It’s been a really amazing way to help families that need help without putting up barriers.”
She says superannuants can choose not to receive their winter energy payment if they do not need it, but she urges them to pay it forward instead.
“We always say pay it forward to us and keep it local.”
While donating a winter energy payment is one way to help other families stay warm, Shanine says anyone can make a donation to the foundation for the winter grants – or any of its grants.
“Any donations – whatever people can afford – makes a big difference.”
The pay-it-forward idea for the government winter energy payment was an initiative instigated several years ago by the Fifeshire Foundation and Community Action Nelson. Other donations are added for the winter grants’ programme.
The programme has also received a boost of $5,000 this year from forestry company, OneFortyOne’s own community grants programme which will be used towards purchasing firewood for about 25 families this winter.
Last week, the winter grants’ programme got another boost with $2,000 donated from Whakatū Rotary Club of Nelson.
Anglican Care has also partnered with Fifeshire Foundation by supporting the programme with funding for nominations received from people in the community over the age of 60.
