75 Charter Oak Avenue, Suite 2-240, Hartford, CT 06106 | 860.243.2345 | www.operationfuel.org
Our Mission: Operation Fuel provides year-round energy and utility assistance, promotes energy independence, and advocates for affordable energy for Connecticut residents. Founded by Gov. Ella Grasso and members of the faith and business communities, Operation Fuel fills gaps for families, thanks to individual, community, and agency support.
Operation Fuel is the only organization in Connecticut that provides year-round emergency energy and utility assistance statewide. For the past 43 years, we have helped families and individuals who are in financial crisis and have nowhere else to turn.
More than half of our recipients are elderly, children under the age of 18, premature infants, and people with chronic illnesses. Operation Fuel has become a strong advocate for lower-income families and individuals whose voices otherwise wouldn’t be heard. We assist with all types of energy and utilities including heating oil, natural gas, electricity, water, and propane and also provide assistance with repair and replacement of furnaces and hot water heaters.
Our 62 fuel banks strategically located across the state make it possible for households statewide to have access to emergency energy assistance from Operation Fuel. They are part of municipal human and social service departments, community agencies, nonprofits, and religious organizations.
I’d never heard of Operation Fuel. But I went to the website and applied for help with my electric bill. Over the scorching summer it had become unmanageable. I couldn’t catch up — the delivery charges were twice what I was using in electricity. Getting my bill paid off means a Christmas tree with lights this year and a turkey leg in the microwave. It means using two light bulbs instead of one to illuminate the dark of winter. It means someone cares.
– When COVID-19 struck, 81-year old Carol had to take a leave of absence from her grocery store job. As a senior citizen, her health was at risk in this frontline position. She anticipated utility shutoffs and a cold, hard winter — until she heard about assistance from Operation Fuel.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your organization? How have your organization’s fundraising efforts, giving opportunities and volunteer opportunities changed as a result?
Budgets, in the best of times, are stretched impossibly thin for too many. Juggling too little income versus too many bills, people have to make painful choices every month: do I spend our limited money on food or medicine? Rent or utilities? During our 43-year history of providing emergency utility and energy assistance to low- and moderate-income households in Connecticut, we at Operation Fuel have seen, time and again, that any unexpected cost can send a household spiraling toward financial crisis. These problems existed long before COVID-19, but the pandemic has shined a spotlight on what is now glaringly obvious: people can’t afford the ever-rising costs of utility bills.
As the economic fallout from COVID-19 continues, we have seen a dramatic increase in requests for utility bill assistance. Job loss, reduction of work hours, and COVID-19 related medical bills have hit our residents hard, and people who have never needed Operation Fuel assistance before are reaching out in large numbers. We have postponed our largest fundraising event, the Operation Fuel Ice House, until January 2022.
With families and individuals forced to choose between paying their energy bills, buying nutritious food, or paying their rent or mortgage, community support is even more vital. One of the easiest ways to support families struggling with energy costs is through Operation Fuel’s #AddADollar program, where we partner with utility providers so customers can conveniently add a one-time or monthly donation to their utility bill, and the providers send your donations to Operation Fuel. Our electric and water partners are Eversource, United Illuminating, The Metropolitan District, Norwich Public Utilities, Wallingford Public Utilities, CNG, SCG, and Jewett City Department of Public Utilities.
How have the services you provide to the community changed in response to the COVID’s impact? Have you developed new and far-reaching services/support?
In July 2020, we launched a new, streamlined 24/7 online application process to expand our services to state residents. Through this online assistance portal, residents can apply online from anywhere at any time. While this online portal has been planned for some time, its launch during the heart of the pandemic allows individuals to apply from the safety of their home without having to set up in-person appointments or travel to fuel banks. Anyone struggling with the costs of utilities and energy should visit www.operationfuel.org/gethelp
