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10/09/2023 03:13 PMEAST HAVEN
The East Haven Senior Center is currently accepting applications for fuel assistance aimed at senior citizens in town, while new developments at the center’s building and transportation fleet are awaiting in order to better serve its frequenters.
The center is currently a location participating in the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program, designed to offset home energy costs for lower-income households in the state. Director Bob Petrucelli said the program can benefit East Haven’s seniors, many of whom live on fixed incomes.
“With oil and propane prices rising dramatically, any assistance that seniors—and really town residents—could get for heating costs over the winter is especially important,” said Petrucelli. “We’ve been lucky the last few winters with warm winters, but if we get a cold winter with high prices, that’s almost like a recipe for disaster for folks.”
To assuage increasing costs and payments for heating, the center is accepting applications looking to do away with some dollars to their fuel bills. Petrucelli said applicants should keep in mind that the program is designed to “help you get through the winter” through partial cost offsets, not to take care of the entirety of a heating bill.
In order to apply for assistance, applicants should plan ahead and gather important, relevant documentation and information. As an income-based program, assistance will be given based on household income and size. Application materials must also consist of the most recent United Illuminating bill to match the address of a household, the last four weeks of income, and the Social Security number of each household member.
The center is also currently focused on households using propane and oil as their heating sources and using services by any of the vendors associated with the program. Applicants who are not with any of the vendors will need to pick one of the approved vendors to be considered for approval.
The Senior Center encourages applicants to arrive on time for the application and materials processing, which will take place at the center and can take between 20 to 30 minutes, said Petrucelli.
“There is some paperwork that people fill out when they come in for appointments. I enter it into the portal, and then it goes for approval,” he said. “Once they’re approved, they’re able to call for oil.”
The program has already proved significant to East Haven seniors, as Petrucelli said the center is expecting to have reviewed around 260 applications for assistance by Thanksgiving.
As long as new applicants plan ahead, “this program will give you one or two deliveries of oil, which is going to be very helpful to you overall, but it’s part of your planning for the winter,” said Petrucelli.
The Senior Center is also awaiting the arrival of an additional bus to its transportation fleet, which is expected to come to the center in the spring of 2024. Petrucelli said many calls from people needing a form of transportation to medical appointments or pharmacies for their prescription drugs influenced the decision for the second bus.
The second bus is intended to support those needs and offer some flexibility for the Senior Center in transporting high numbers of frequenters to and from events.
“Currently, we have a 12-passenger bus. This is going to be a 16-passenger bus,” said Petrucelli. “After our large events or a large bingo, my current driver is making a 12-passenger bus on two and three runs. This gives me a little more wiggle room with the four extra seats, which doesn’t seem like a lot, but it really is a lot...To add a second bus is going to be a great benefit to the Senior Center and to residents.”
The bus, which meets Americans with Disabilities Act standards, will be paid for almost entirely by the Connecticut Department of Transportation at a cost of $74,000, while the town will chip in a small contribution of just $64.
Petreculli is also looking to draft an application for a grant from the State Unit on Aging for $74,399 for federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to upgrade programming at the facility and the facility itself. These dollars are intended for upgrades that continue to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, with considerations being touchless faucets and toilets in the center’s bathrooms.
Also under consideration is creating a new outdoor multipurpose space for people to use for various purposes, such as exercise classes and outdoor seating for picnics. These improvements would be with guidelines pertaining to social distancing, said Petrucelli.
Mayor Joseph Carfora praised Petrucelli and his colleagues for these efforts in bolstering senior services in East Haven.
“The East Haven Senior Center plays a crucial role in supporting and enhancing the well-being of our beloved senior citizens. I commend Bob and our team for bringing their passion and creativity to the community they serve,” Carfora said. “These initiatives align with our broader vision for East Haven, while maximizing state and federal grant money.”