Enjoy one of the area's most beloved holiday traditions while supporting the programs and services provided by the Worcester Community Action Council. Join WCAC for a special performance of Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol on stage at the Hanover Theatre for Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge Street, Worcester, on Wednesday, December 23rd, 7 p.m. With lavish sets and costumes, remarkable choreography, choral performances and special effects, you'll love the message of Christmas redemption and the love for mankind that the production brings! In a true demonstration of the spirit of the season, the theater will be donating a portion of all tickets purchased for that evening's show to benefit WCAC.

For $75, attend a 5:30 p.m. VIP Pre-Show Reception at the theatre which will include a ticket to the 7 p.m. show, a meet and greet with members of the cast, hors d'oeuvres, cash bar and a commemorative WCAC 50th Anniversary holiday ornament. Reserve your tickets today by calling the box office at 877-571-SHOW or online (select Level 1, yellow highlighted seats for VIP option).

We hope you'll join us and make this magical evening a part of your family's holiday tradition.

 As the temperatures out-side drop the inclination is to simply nudge the thermostat upward inside to remain comfortable all winter long. For many of our neighbors, however, that option doesn't exist or doesn't exist long with escalating home heating bills. After a record setting snowfall and frigid temperatures last winter which generated applications for assistance by more than 15,000 households, WCAC is ready to once again serve households throughout Central Massachusetts which are struggling to keep up with home heating costs. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or fuel assistance as it's most commonly called, opened for the season November 1st. Assistance is intended to help defray the cost of heat during the winter months, November 1 - April 30 of each year. Applications are accepted throughout the season. For first time applicants, a face to face meeting is required. Returning applicants do need to have their eligibility recertified each year but can frequently do so by mail.

For the 2015-16 season, an individual earning less than $33,126 is income eligible - a family of four making $63,704 or less is income eligible (complete income eligibility guidelines available online.) Participation is open to both homeowners and tenants, heating with any heating source - gas, electric, oil, propane, wood or coal. During the 2014-15 season, WCAC provided  more than $9.9 million dollars in assistance, with 67% of WCAC's applicants representing our most vulnerable populations - senior citizens, disabled individuals and families with young children. The c urrent maximum fuel assistance benefit is $1,025/year - which provides less than two tanks of oil; insufficient to cover one's needs for the duration of a New England winter. In 2014, WCAC provided over $200,000 in additional assistance via funds raised through private donations.

Additional information about eligibility and applications is available online, by emailing LIHEAP@wcac.net  or by calling the LIHEAP Automated Information Line at 508.754.7281. If you or someone you know is struggling with home utility costs, please reach out to WCAC for assistance.

WCAC recently welcomed Carrick O'Brien as its new Assistant Director of the agency's Job & Education Center (JEC). Having previously worked for S-C Management/Wingate, she was responsible for the oversight of more than 350 affordable housing units in three cities, as well as nearly $2 million in grants to bring service coordination and youth activities to the properties. A Central Mass resident since graduating from Assumption College, her focus at JEC will be overall programming and job development as well as creating new community partnerships. She resides in Shrewsbury and is the mom to two school-aged children.

WCAC also welcomes Brookeita Payne as its new Secure Jobs Initiative Case Manager and Financial Coach. Having worked previously at Community Healthlink as part of the North County Youth Crisis Intervention Team, she brings a wealth of experience in crisis support, mental health evaluations and community stabilization. Her focus at JEC will be getting young adults into employment and supporting them with financial literacy training to achieve true self-sufficiency. She is mom to a young daughter.

Both maintain a strong passion for helping others better their lives to become self-sufficient and are welcomed additions to the agency. Additional information about WCAC's Job & Education Center opportunities is available online.
 

While fairly well known for its fuel assistance program, WCAC also manages a lesser known but equally substantial  Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The year-round, federally funded program is designed to help homeowners and renters keep heat in their homes, helping to ensure fuel assistance funds aren't wasted on inefficient systems. WCAC currently has contracts with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the major local utility companies to install energy conservation measures in low-income homes throughout Central and Southern Worcester County.

   

What truly sets WCAC's program apart, however, is the high standards under which the program is managed. The agency is now one of just two in the state to have three Quality Control Inspector Certified staff - John Benoit, Energy Coordinator; Mark Lapan, Energy Auditor; and Amanda Porter, Energy Auditor. Amanda is the first female in the state to earn the prestigious certification - congratulations! 

WCAC's energy program staff members are part of an elite group qualified to perform QCI certified inspections, assuring funders and clients alike that the contractors doing weatherization work for these vulnerable households are meeting incredibly high standards. Certification is achieved following rigorous training and testing, including thousands of hours in the field. Kudos and congrats to WCAC's talented and skilled weatherization team - really ready for any weather!

Each home receives an in-depth inspection by a certified energy auditor to assess conservation needs and the safety and efficiency of the primary heating system. Typical work includes air sealing, attic and/or sidewall insulation, weather stripping and minor repairs associated with the weatherization work. Areas needing improvement are rectified at no cost to the client if the home and the occupant meet the eligibility criteria. Additional information about WCAC's weatherization program and eligibility requirements is available online.