Winter Warmth:
Helping to keep the lights and heat on for Ottawa families
In a climate as cold as Ottawa’s, keeping your home heated in the winter is essential. But every winter many households living at or below the poverty line find themselves getting behind on their energy bills and facing the prospect of disconnection. When that happens, who can they turn to?
Enter Winter Warmth.
A provincial initiative that started in Toronto in the winter of 2004-2005, Winter Warmth is designed to provide an emergency grant to eligible low-income families and individuals who are struggling to pay their heating bills. United Ways in various parts of Ontario team up with their local utility companies to help these families and individuals.
In Ottawa, United Way and our funding partners Enbridge Gas Distribution and Hydro Ottawa have been keeping an average of 160 households warm every year since 2004-2005.
We provide overall administration support and management in conjunction with a network of 19 community organizations, including the Salvation Army Ottawa Booth Centre, which oversees the application process and fund distribution. The current model for providing the Winter Warmth grants through community organizations ensures that households most in need of assistance benefit.
Winter Warmth is a natural fit for United Way and our two partners this year. Enbridge and Hydro Ottawa are committed to supporting the communities they serve. For our part, this program helps us fulfill our mission to bring people and resources together to build a strong, healthy and safe community for all.
For information on the Winter Warmth application process, which runs from December to May, contact the Salvation Army Ottawa Booth Centre at 613-241-1573.
Local Steering Committee: United Way, Salvation Army Ottawa Booth Centre, Entraide budgétaire, Housing Help, Pinecrest-Queensway Health and Community Services, City of Ottawa, EnviroCentre
