2026-10-15 - Joint Health & Human Services and Public Safety

00:00This is the uh Health and Human Services

00:02Committee joint meeting with public

00:04safety committee uh along with uh

00:06Counselor Martin. And we also have Tony

00:09Taylor who's with the Partners uh

00:12Springfield Partners uh for community uh

00:15action.

00:16And we also have a person here from the

00:20uh fuel assistance, the VOC.

00:22Uh

00:24Can you hear us?

00:26>> Yes. Yes, I can hear you. Good

00:28afternoon.

00:29>> Thank you so much. I think you have like

00:31three locations locally.

00:34>> Yes, we have a location in Holyoke. We

00:37have one on State Street in Springfield.

00:41And we also have a Mount Carmel in

00:45Chicopee, Elm Street in Westfield, and

00:48one in Ludlow.

00:50>> That's fantastic. Now

00:52are you taking applications now or does

00:54that begin November 1st? Uh I was in a

00:57little conflict on what I was reading on

00:59that. Is it already Have you already

01:01started taking the applications?

01:03>> Yes, we have been taking applications

01:05for deliverables.

01:07So that would be oil, wood,

01:10coal.

01:11>> Okay.

01:11So so what people have to understand is

01:14it takes about 4 to 6 weeks for that

01:16process, right? For the paperwork to get

01:18through.

01:20>> Um it takes 45 business days from

01:23November 1st.

01:26>> Perfect. Now what exactly do you offer

01:28and how do people apply for this and

01:31what do you have for available resources

01:33for the community?

01:34>> Okay. So the Home Energy Assistance

01:37Program, also called as fuel assistant,

01:39helps eligible low-income households pay

01:41for winter heating costs.

01:43It is administered by the Massachusetts

01:45Executive Office of Housing and Livable

01:47Communities and the deliverable location

01:51through agencies such as us, Valley

01:53Opportunity Council.

01:55So the process of applying for fuel

01:58assistance is if you're a new client and

02:01you are

02:03coming in to help with oil, we would

02:06um

02:07start an intake.

02:10Um the intake process can be done

02:14by phone. It can also be done in person

02:17and we also do have a portal.

02:22>> And uh

02:23what would they be eligible for? I I saw

02:25numbers like between $200 and $1,800. Is

02:29that about right?

02:31>> The eligibility is base based on

02:33household size and income. So,

02:36everybody's benefit level is going to be

02:38different.

02:39>> Okay, but is there parameters? Are there

02:41maximums? Is there minimums?

02:44>> Um there's different benefit codes and I

02:47what I've been seeing from our

02:48deliverables, they're starting at round

02:50500, 600.

02:54>> Uh now, how about the non-deliverables?

02:56How about electricity and gas?

02:59>> Um it's also the same way. It's done by

03:02household size um and income.

03:06>> Okay. And uh

03:09people that had the program before, they

03:11have to reapply. It's not automatic.

03:13They have to reapply and prove their

03:15need and go through the paperwork like

03:17everyone else, correct?

03:18>> Yes, so that would be our research. Um

03:21that application automatically goes out

03:24every single year. So, once you apply

03:25for fuel assistance, your application

03:27automatically is going to come in the

03:29mail every single year. As long as you

03:31return it

03:32every year, then you will receive it

03:34every year.

03:37All

03:39>> Do you have a question?

03:40>> Uh no, not at the moment, counselor.

03:41Thank you.

03:42>> Okay. Um Tony?

03:45>> Yes, um so that program is also valuable

03:48in um

03:50like Brian uh Brian has said, I I sit on

03:52the board of Springfield Partners for

03:54Community Action.

03:55And I would like to know what part can

03:57we play?

03:59I know we get your overflow, but I'm

04:01wondering if we can play a stronger part

04:04in this.

04:06>> Well, Springfield Partners, we refer our

04:09clients to Springfield Partners. Once

04:11they qualify for the program,

04:13we refer them over there for

04:15weatherization.

04:17>> Okay.

04:17>> Before when Tim was in in the office,

04:21we would you guys would do the furnace

04:23repairs, but now those go to Monticello.

04:27>> Who is Springfield?

04:29>> So, are you saying that we we do not do

04:32anything or have not do any or we have

04:35not done anything with the fuel

04:36assistance? I thought we

04:39did your overflow

04:42for fuel assistance.

04:45>> So, our clients that qualify for the

04:46program, when we send them to you, it's

04:49mostly for weatherization.

04:51>> Okay.

04:53Okay. And just for public disclosure,

04:55I'm also a member of the board along

04:57with Tony.

04:59So, I just want to say that

05:01for public public

05:01>> [laughter]

05:03>> Nice to meet you.

05:04>> Yeah, same here. Same here. Um

05:06how many people do you serve?

05:09>> Uh we serve all Hampden County and

05:12Springfield.

05:14>> All of Hampden County and Springfield.

05:15So, how just give me a rough estimate on

05:18the numbers.

05:20And this is going to be this is going to

05:21be a really tough winter because the

05:23prices are going skyrocket.

05:25>> Oh, yes. We are waiting. Yes, we are

05:28expecting a high volume on this. But um

05:31you around 35,000.

05:34>> 35,000?

05:3635,000?

05:38>> Mhm.

05:39>> Wow.

05:40Where do you

05:41Where do you get your oil?

05:43>> Sorry?

05:44>> Where Where do you get your oil? Where

05:46Where do you get your oil? Yeah, the oil

05:48that you deliver to the homes.

05:50>> So, we have vendors.

05:52The vendors um they we sent contracts

05:54out. The vendors sign the contracts, we

05:57turn it back to us, and then the client

05:59calls the vendor that they want to

06:01choose. As long as they're associated

06:03and they have a contract with us, then

06:05that's the vendor that they will use to

06:07get the oil.

06:08>> So, knowing this um

06:10we're going to have a horrible winter

06:12for sure, perhaps.

06:13Um knowing this

06:15um

06:16so, I'm just going backwards. How much

06:18money is dedicated to a particular

06:20client for a winter? Cuz we know that

06:23oil in the fill your tank is very

06:25expensive. So, what's the type of

06:28obligate um

06:29um

06:30type of numbers that you obligate to

06:33that particular client

06:35>> From what I've seen from our clients

06:39that have applied and qualified for oil,

06:42um about 1,000, 1,200, 1,600.

06:47I'm not really sure. I can't give you a

06:49definite number because everybody's

06:51different.

06:53>> So, when you talk about 1,000 and 1,600,

06:56far as I know, that's one tank full.

06:59What happens to the rest of the winter?

07:02>> So, then we can refer them to other

07:04places. Um we can refer them to

07:08the um

07:10Wayfinders, Salvation Army, Catholic

07:12Charities. Catholic Charities really

07:15help out in the Springfield community

07:16because they only would help with people

07:19for oil.

07:22>> Now, what happens when people um because

07:25I think you play a part also if people

07:28are going to lose their utility

07:30shut-offs?

07:31>> Yes.

07:32>> So, can you explain that program and

07:34what you do there to help people so they

07:35don't have uh their electricity or gas

07:38shut-off?

07:40>> So, we support households at risk of

07:42running out of fuel, of utility

07:44shutoffs, and no heat.

07:46If they have a shutoff and they come and

07:49apply

07:51to fuel assistance,

07:53we usually ask

07:55how much does Eversource want to prevent

07:59the shutoff?

08:02So that we can be able to help you pay

08:05that so you can be able to make a

08:06payment arrangement with them.

08:10>> All right. Would that consist of the

08:12same type of payment arrangement that

08:14our individual or resident would do with

08:16with

08:17with Eversource itself? Or are they

08:20uh do you have

08:22a little bit of movement far as money to

08:24help them put down on that and to be

08:27able to make

08:29the payment more doable?

08:32>> So we would help them with whatever

08:33Eversource is asking for as a deposit.

08:36And then Eversource electric will give

08:38them one of their payment plan

08:39arrangements.

08:41>> Okay. Understood.

08:43>> 35,000

08:44>> Very helpful.

08:44>> Wow. 35,000.

08:47Now what about people that fall through

08:49the cracks or don't qualify, but they're

08:52close to qualifying? Is there any way to

08:55say the city of Springfield can make

08:57some funds available for those people to

08:59make it through the winter that won't

09:01qualify for your program, but they're

09:03close?

09:04>> Well, right now there is a new program

09:06that's coming out, that's starting. It's

09:07in process. Those are for the middle

09:10class income that don't qualify for us.

09:13And this is being offered for people

09:15that heat with deliverables as well.

09:17Um

09:20>> Could you go into a little detail on

09:21that?

09:23How that works for the people that don't

09:26qualify, but they're marginal, but this

09:28program would come in for say the middle

09:30income? How does that work? And where do

09:32they where do they apply?

09:34>> They will qualify for $600. That would

09:37be that's supposed that program is

09:39supposed to be coming out through us.

09:42Um it's basically the same thing. They

09:43would do an intake. Um so the buyer

09:45would certify it. It's only a 600

09:48dollars for one time.

09:50And it's only for oil.

09:54>> You know, that's a small drop in the

09:55bucket compared to what people need for

09:57the whole winter.

09:57>> Yeah.

09:58>> You know, that's uh

10:00you know, what happens when they run

10:01out?

10:04>> They would have to go to our other

10:05resources and reach out to the other

10:07resources. Um sometimes um if

10:12um fuel assistance, if the state has

10:15more fundings

10:18to offer, um their income their benefit

10:21can go up a little bit more.

10:23>> Yep.

10:24Now, you mentioned about the

10:25weatherization. Can you give us a little

10:27details because I know Tony knows a lot

10:29about it because that's what Springfield

10:31Partners do.

10:32>> That's what that's yes. So, when they

10:34qualify for our program, we just refer

10:36them to Springfield Partnerships for

10:38weatherization. Springfield Partners

10:41will send their people out to assess the

10:43homes.

10:45Um can't speak too much about how they

10:47do their weatherization because it's

10:49their program.

10:51>> Uh let me just add this. They do a

10:53wonderful program there. One of the

10:55things the first thing they do would

10:58they come out and do a home assessment.

11:00And they'll do uh

11:02air tight uh to see what what air is

11:06uh trickling out your house, what air is

11:09staying in your house.

11:11And so, they're able to define exactly

11:15where they the needs are needed, you

11:17know, what's needed. Far as doing

11:19cellulose in the walls,

11:21you know, you may have some you may have

11:24done it 10 years ago and it may be low.

11:26So, we'll we will come and we place that

11:28to the proper height. Uh and we do the

11:31heating assessment with our mini splits

11:33and so forth.

11:34>> Yes.

11:35>> And we, you know, we do various other

11:37things to make sure that your We also do

11:40around the doors, around the windows.

11:42And we also do a great program that we

11:45give

11:47if

11:48able to, we give windows, high-quality

11:51windows at no cost for, you know, if

11:55your house is probably 7 or 10 years

11:56old. I don't know the exact age. And we

11:58do that. Yeah.

12:00>> Yes, I did have somebody actually come

12:02out to my home. I live in Chicopee, and

12:04she did do that air sealing thing on the

12:06door. She put a big fan.

12:08>> Yes. Yes.

12:11>> That was very interesting. And she was

12:13explaining exactly what you just said to

12:15me. She also did say that they do

12:18insulation in the attic.

12:20>> That's correct. I had that done in my

12:22house.

12:23>> Yep. And also on if you have

12:27um

12:29a crawl space

12:30underneath one of your homes, she said

12:32that you also do those.

12:34>> Let Let me just ask a

12:37question.

12:38What have you partaken in the Mass Save

12:40partner? What have they done for you?

12:43>> What have they done for your assistance?

12:46>> For your house No, for your house.

12:47>> Oh, to me personally?

12:49>> Yes, ma'am. Just a general question.

12:51That's all.

12:52>> Um well, actually they did right now is

12:54just come out and assess my whole entire

12:55home from attic to basement to even

12:58outside. She took pictures. She wanted

13:00to take measurements to see if maybe I

13:02needed some insulation on the outside.

13:04>> Mhm.

13:05>> Um

13:06>> your windows?

13:07>> She did tell me about all that, but it

13:10does

13:10We live in Chicopee, so we don't qualify

13:13for that.

13:14>> That That's That's That's I I don't know

13:17exactly, but I know I catch basin

13:21is larger than that, so that kind of

13:23bewilders me at the moment.

13:25>> Okay, cuz I do need windows.

13:28>> Yeah. [laughter]

13:30>> So then we're going to have to revisit.

13:32>> That's what I'm talking about. That's

13:34why I wanted to ask you that personal

13:35question. But as for me sitting on the

13:37board, I waited for 2 years and I was

13:40able to get my windows done,

13:42uh a vent in my bathroom, uh search and

13:46mini splits. I mean, the organization

13:48and the work we've done for over 60

13:50years is just incredible.

13:52>> Yes.

13:52>> You know, so but we're really concerned

13:54about this uh winter coming up and about

13:56fuel assistance. And also, if we can be

14:00a part in any way of distributing

14:02correct information for people when they

14:04come when they're at their lowest

14:06moment, we'd be more than happy working

14:08with you to give out more information

14:11for the community.

14:12>> So from my experience I'm sorry.

14:15From my experience of I had people

14:18actually come into our office

14:20that were sent from Springfield Partners

14:22because they decided to go to you first

14:24before they came to us. And then you

14:25guys would send them over and say, "Hey,

14:27go and apply for fuel assistance. If you

14:28get approved, we can do much more."

14:32And they do come and they do come and

14:33apply.

14:35>> Exactly, cuz one of the greatest things

14:37going forward we're trying to be, if

14:39we're not act- actively

14:42the ones that distribute fuel assistance

14:44or anything else, we want to be uh a

14:46center where we can give accurate

14:48information for people to have in their

14:51time of need.

14:52>> Yes.

14:54I agree.

14:55>> Uh but just a a quick question. Uh where

14:58do you Are you on the city of

15:00Springfield's website to disseminate,

15:02like Tony said, disseminate this

15:04information so the general public cuz

15:06that it gets a lot of traffic.

15:08Are you on the city's website? Are you

15:10on Holyoke's website? Are you on

15:12Chicopee's website?

15:14>> The L C has their own websites. So we

15:17have all this information on our

15:18website.

15:20And Valley Opportunity Council

15:24.com and they can also even apply. We

15:26have a link there for a portal.

15:29And they can go and link and click on

15:31there and they can also apply for fuel

15:32assistance.

15:34>> Now, the reason why I'm bringing that up

15:36is a lot of people don't know your

15:37organization or they don't know that

15:39it's available. So, I think if you put

15:41up some kind of a link on our city

15:44website that they can come back to you,

15:47that would be most helpful. But, I'm

15:49really impressed that you service 35,000

15:53people in the region. I didn't think it

15:55was that large of an It's huge.

15:57>> Yes, it is. I hope I got the number

15:59right.

16:00>> Don't don't worry about it. If it's not

16:0230, it's 35,000.

16:04>> [laughter]

16:05>> We're rounding up.

16:08Well, you know, you've been terrific

16:10today. Um

16:11>> I also want to add that we do

16:15um we do have senior centers. Um we have

16:1821 senior centers that we actually give

16:21intake trainings to. They have

16:23volunteers

16:25in their senior centers that are willing

16:27to give seniors intakes

16:30and help them with their research and

16:32help them to collect the documents that

16:34they need so that we can get um this oil

16:37out to the seniors, especially ones that

16:40don't um they can't navigate the system,

16:42they don't have transportation, they

16:43can't come in, they're really elderly,

16:46they live by themselves. So, we um offer

16:49we have 21 senior centers that we give

16:51training to so that they can go in there

16:53and help them to apply.

16:56>> That's great. Now,

16:58do you have room for growth? In other

17:00words, you said 30 or 35,000 are

17:02currently available you're going to

17:04service 30 to 35,000. Can you go beyond

17:07that number? Can you go to 45,000? Do

17:09you have that in the budget?

17:12>> Um

17:13that would be a question that my

17:15director would need to answer because

17:17our budget comes in differently.

17:21Every year. It depends on how many

17:22applied last year. So, they take a look

17:24at it and they see, "Okay, this many

17:26people applied, so they need this much

17:28money." That's why we try and we tell

17:30everybody, no matter whether you are

17:33approved or not approved or you think

17:35you don't qualify, everybody come and

17:36apply.

17:38Try You never know.

17:40>> Right.

17:41One One last question that I have.

17:44In the cold weather,

17:46you have homeless people on the streets.

17:49Do you get involved in heating shelters

17:52like a library? The mayor may open up

17:54certain facilities to keep people warm.

17:57Do you get involved with that part of

17:59it, too? To inform

18:00>> Right

18:01Right now, I think it's just resi-

18:02residential.

18:03>> Okay.

18:04>> Right now. But, um VOC does have

18:06shelters for homeless people for when

18:09it's cold out that they can go and stay.

18:12>> Perfect. You've You've been absolutely

18:13terrific. I think Tony has one more

18:15question.

18:16>> One last question. As As a great company

18:18that you're working with, uh what is

18:20your projection for helping the

18:22community at need?

18:24I mean, do you have any other programs?

18:26Do you have

18:27What's your projection or what Just to

18:30kind of

18:31get a tidbit of what you're looking

18:33forward to do for the community at need

18:34cuz we have so many people at need in

18:37need.

18:37>> Okay. Well, if we're just talking if

18:39we're going if we're talking about

18:41Valley Opportunity Council,

18:43Valley Opportunity Council has a lot of

18:46different departments. They have

18:48transportation, they have daycare, they

18:49have shelter, they have housing.

18:51They have

18:53different departments that could help in

18:56other areas of the community.

19:00>> Okay, and I I love that and um I'll

19:02reach out to you personally because I'm

19:04a member of the Claudio Concepcion

19:07Senior Center and I do work with them in

19:10the Golden Ages and to know a little bit

19:13deeper what you do so I can be

19:15assistance

19:16>> Yes, we need somebody that would be your

19:19outreach person and we can train them

19:21and if you have seniors and people that

19:23are coming into your center

19:25like I said they can do an intake right

19:27there.

19:28>> Okay, I thank you so much.

19:29>> This meeting is going to be streamed on

19:31Comcast.

19:33Um

19:35Could you

19:36give your information on your contact

19:39where you're located the three locations

19:41and phone numbers?

19:43>> Sure.

19:44So right now my name is Maria Rosario. I

19:47am in the Holyoke office 300 High

19:49Street, Holyoke. The number here is

19:53413-552-

19:561548.

19:58We also have another location.

20:03It's is

20:0624 555 State Street in Springfield.

20:12And that number is 413-334-1270.

20:19Those are our two big offices. All the

20:21other offices are small offices that

20:23clients can be able to go in and drop

20:25off.

20:27We have a Chicopee office

20:29on Meadow Street.

20:31We have one in Westfield which is at 100

20:35Elm Street

20:37and we have the one in Ludlow which is

20:4114 Chestnut Place in Ludlow.

20:47>> Perfect.

20:48You've been most helpful and if there's

20:50anything

20:51Councilor Martin and I can do as a city

20:53councilor Tony Taylor can do as a member

20:56of the board,

20:57feel free to contact us and we'd be more

21:00than happy to help.

21:02>> I appreciate that.

21:03>> Thank you so much.

21:04>> Thank you.

21:05>> Jerry, you want to wrap it up?

21:06>> Yeah, I just um

21:08I just want to say thank you so much for

21:09your time and and coming you know,

21:11really explaining all the great work

21:14that you do before the city council.

21:17You know, there's a lot of uncertainty

21:19going on in the world today with you

21:21know, gas prices, you know,

21:23cutting of assistance where you know,

21:25where it really helps people. We want to

21:27make sure that disenfranchised groups

21:28and

21:29our seniors living on a fixed income are

21:31still you know, going to be taken care

21:33of. So, this is this is tremendous work

21:35and and you're helping a lot of people.

21:37So, thank you so much for your time and

21:39thank you for your explanation.

21:41>> Oh, thank you for having me.

21:43>> Thank you so much.

21:44>> Thank you.

21:45>> All right.

21:46Meeting Meeting adjourned at 1:30.