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News Release
February 16, 2004 H.E.A.T. Helps Low-Income Georgia Households Pay Winter Heating Bills Atlanta - When a sudden stroke forced Fulton County resident Mildred Peeks to leave her long-time job as an educator, she struggled to make ends meet on a fixed income. And she worried that she couldn't pay her winter heating bills. But the former school principal didn't give up, and she refused to feel sorry for herself. Instead, she asked for help - and she got it - in the form of financial assistance, thanks to the Heating Energy Assistance Team (H.E.A.T.), a Georgia nonprofit dedicated to raising funds to assist low-income Georgians with winter heating expenses. "When I became disabled, I understood more than ever the importance of putting myself in other people's shoes," said Ms. Peeks. "You have to give help when you can, and you have to ask for help when you need it. H.E.A.T. has helped so many people, and I appreciate being one of them." In 2003 Georgia's oldest statewide fuel fund provided more than $375,000 to help more than 1,700 Georgia families pay their winter heating bills. "We are so grateful to the companies and the consumers in Georgia who generously gave to H.E.A.T. during the past year," said Ira Shucker, chairman of H.E.A.T.'s board of directors. "They helped us reach more needy Georgians than ever before." H.E.A.T. funds are distributed by the Georgia Department of Human Resources through local community action agencies. Qualified families apply for assistance at the agency that serves their county. Households must meet established guidelines that include income eligibility. Most of H.E.A.T.'s funding comes from the following energy companies: Georgia Natural Gas, SCANA Energy, Southern Company Gas, Shell Energy, ACN Energy, GasKey, Infinite Energy and AGL Resources. Some of the companies conduct campaigns to raise funds from their customers and in most cases provide corporate donations, as well. "Energy companies understand more than anyone how unpredictable the country's energy markets have been in the past few years," said Janet Howard-Joseph, executive director of H.E.A.T. "They understand that the people impacted the most are those who can least afford it." In January H.E.A.T. got an unexpected boost when Georgia Natural Gas made a special $250,000 donation to the organization - the largest in the agency's 21-year history. That donation alone will help 1,100 additional families. "We appreciate the commitment of all of our donors," said Ms. Howard-Joseph. "Thousands of Georgians like Mildred Peeks depend on H.E.A.T. to help them through tough times, and we won't let them down." About H.E.A.T. The Heating Energy Assistance Team (H.E.A.T.) was formed in 1983 to raise money for low-income energy assistance. When Georgia's natural gas industry was deregulated, H.E.A.T. became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Since 1983 the organization has distributed more than $13.5 million and assisted nearly 70,000 Georgia households. For more information about the Heating Energy Assistance Team or to donate online, go to www.heatga.org.
Fulton County resident and H.E.A.T. client Mildred Peeks is a former educator who struggles to pay her winter heating bills on a fixed income.
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