David J. Hosking, Outreach Specialist with the Wisconsin Vet Centers shown here with a co-worker in front of the Vet Center Mobile van at the KWW/CF Golf Classic
After serving for nearly 30 years, Dave Hosking has become very familiar with the difficulties that burden service members upon their return home from deployments and separation from the military.
Hosking, an Army and National Guard veteran who served in both Vietnam and Iraq, has been on the frontlines and realizes the vital needs of veterans. He tries to help solve them every day, too, as an outreach specialist for the Madison Vet Center, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-affiliated facility that works to perform readjustment counseling for combat veterans and their families.
The Heat for Heroes van, generously donated and maintained by Schmidt Auto Inc., travels around the state of WI to raise awareness and funds for Veterans facing energy-related emergencies.
The impact KWWCF/Heat and Housing for Heroes has on veterans and their families wouldn’t be possible without its relationship with those who serve veterans throughout the state. It’s those boots on the ground who hear firsthand from the veterans and families who are struggling that allows KWWCF/Heat and Housing for Heroes to lend a hand.
The need for a grassroots effort to help those in need became clear during a bitterly-cold winter in the 1980s.
The awareness of the growing number of people enduring life-threatening situations was amplified by the tragic death of hypothermia of an elderly woman during that winter. Months later, do to her utilities being disconnected at no fault of her own, an elderly and disabled victim also died of heat stroke during the stifling hot summer with no place to turn.
Something needed to be done, and the community acted to assure those most vulnerable during Wisconsin’s harsh seasons wouldn’t face a crisis, like being unable to afford power or heat, alone.
Energy Services Inc. was founded as a survival safety net for those in need of assistance for power or heating, and the initiative has grown to help low-income households across the state during times of need. But programs such as that wouldn’
United States’ military Veterans are among the least likely to come forward to ask for help in times of trouble, even when they find themselves facing life threatening situations. Pride is often the principle barrier for Veterans in receiving this much needed assistance. Recognizing this, Services, Inc. and the Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund launched its statewide Heat and Housing for Heroes Campaign a few years ago.
For nearly 90 years, the thing that’s helped make Madison-based Schoep’s Ice Cream a leader in the industry has been its reliance on family and community.
Keeping much of the same formula over the years, Schoep’s has tried to give back wherever there was an opportunity. So, when Tim Bruer, Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund and Heat and Housing for Heroes Founder, approached Schoep’s CEO/President Al Thomsen with a chance to do just that, he didn’t hesitate. Instead, he jumped into action.
Read all about how Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund is helping people all around the state of Wisconsin.
There are many Waushara County residents that are struggling on fixed or limited incomes that find it difficult to keep pace with the high energy bills of the winter. Many homes also have furnaces that are faulty and have no means to repair or replace them. Energy Services for Waushara County is prepared to assist with these needs.
You do not have to be reluctant to ask for help, and just know that Energy Services is located at 220 N. Oakridge Court in Wautoma and they are committed to removing any artificial barriers to help you qualify for a Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance grant. Grant amounts and payments are determined by your energy costs, household size, income, dwelling type, etc. The approved payment is submitted directly to your utility or fuel company within a month of application.
To apply you will need 3 months of income statements, verification of your heating costs, identification docu-mentation such as your Social Security Card and photo ID. An example of the income guidelines is a household size of two with three-month income of $9,374 or if you are self employed an annual income of $37,496. The process to apply is easy and to schedule an appointment call 1-800-506-5596 or 920-787-1830. The team working at Energy Services is prepared help you in every way – you just have to make the initial contact.
Timothy Bruer, Founder and Executive Director of Wisconsin Energy Services, told the Argus Waushara County is one of the most challenging, with pride being such a barrier and the remote isolated households attempting to survive on their meager incomes. The County has some of the greatest unmet needs in Wisconsin. “To date Energy Services for Waushara County has served 1500 households in the county, a 15 percent increase over last year at this time, shortly we will have already served more households during February than we did all of last year,” Bruer said.
He also was quick to add there are still residents in Waushara County in need of assistance and wants those residents to reach out for help. “We are a Hand Up – Not a Hand Out” program and ready to assist households with the basic needs of heating their home. For those with high medical risks and/or energy costs, there are also additional resources available with the households payments to make those monthly utility costs much more affordable.
“With pride or lack of awareness of resources available we are also asking family, friends, and neighbors to come forth and let us know of a struggling household in need that you may be aware of,” Bruer added. We will work together to help gain all of the necessary information to make the process as painless as possible. We also realize with pride being a factor or if you homebound, no worries, we will make house calls by appointment, he added.
Bruer says his organization takes great pride in the fact that Waushara County has a 95 percent eligibility rate. The vast majority of recipients are the working poor with children under 6, elderly, disabled, and Veterans. He also said the fastest growing unmet need is with Veterans in Waushara County.
In addition to assisting with energy bills, Energy Services for Waushara County will help to determine if residents qualify for free home weatherization and furnace services provided by CAP Services. Upon completion of your Wisconsin Low Income Energy Assistance application, if eligible your household will be automatically considered for the services of the low-income weatherization pro-gram.
If you or someone you know needs energy assistance, don’t hesitate please call Energy Services for Waushara County today at 1-800-506-5596 or 920-787-1830 and remember it is a Hand Up – not a Hand Out.
Energy Services, Inc, the energy assistance program contact, is located at 514 Main Street in Friendship. Executive Director and founder of this nonprofit, Timothy Bruer, is passionate about the services it provides to Adams County. As a young community organizer in Dane County, Timothy Bruer was motivated to found Energy Services after recalling individuals who froze to death without heating, or suffered heatstroke without air conditioning. It is the fact that many people have to choose between paying for utilizes and food, or paying for medical care that makes Bruer passionate about helping people in our community.
Energy Services places a priority on young working families with children, the disabled, and the elderly especially veterans. Veteran organizations can encourage elderly veterans to come forward to receive assistance. Through Energy Services, Inc and the Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund, the Heat for Heroes Campaign was launched. The Heat for Heroes Campaign with Wisconsin Home Energy Plus/Low Income Energy Assistance Program helps Veterans to alleviate life-threatening energy related emergencies through the use of energy assistance grants.
Bruer urges people to contact Energy Services before they are in a crisis situation. He said, “We want to help out folks who are struggling on inadequate incomes. Incomes have not kept pace with heating costs. Last year 1,435 households in Adams County were helped out by Energy Services. We bridge the gap between need and energy resources. Adams is unique because it has some of the most isolated and rural households and there are challenges to transportation. Some people are choosing between eating and heating. Energy Services is here as a hand up instead of a hand out. We want to help empower people to take control over their basic needs.” Bruer is putting out a call to action for family members, friends, neighbors, workplaces, and other community members to identify those who are in need and tell them about Energy Services.
Through Energy Services, qualifying applicants may receive energy assistance along with home weatherization assistance. Resolution to utility issues are usually resolved in 30 days or less. The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) provides a one-time payment during the heating season. A household may be eligible for crisis assistance if they have no heat, have received a disconnect notice from the heating vendor, or are nearly out of fuel and do not have the money to purchase more. WHEAP emergency heating system assistance can provide services to eligible home owners if the furnace or boiler stops operating during the heating season.
The Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund, a charitable arm of Energy Services bridges the gap not met through grants from about 17,000 annual donors. Utilities and energy providers cooperate with Energy Assistance so no one has to be burdened with heating and cooling costs.
An application can be completed in about fifteen minutes. Applicants can call the local service center to schedule an appointment and need to provide required information such as three months of income verification and their utility records from their landlords. Energy Services can do home visits for those who are ambulatory homebound. Reach out to Energy Services for Adams County at 608-339-6767 and see how they can help you with your energy needs
