CAPSC Blog

Published February 8, 2023 | Impact

Wheelchair ramp built by CAPSC

Community Action Partnership of Strafford County partnered with another nonprofit organization, Community Toolbox, to replace Lindsey’s wheelchair ramp. Lindsey said “CAPSC has always been there to help” get her what she needs.

Weatherization is an important part of making homes more efficient, but efficiency isn’t only about energy, fuel, and saving money. For many residents helped by Community Action Partnership of Strafford County’s Weatherization Program, it’s also about forms of independence and comfort that don’t involve the number on their thermostat.

Lindsey has received assistance through CAPSC every year for about a decade, ever since she first qualified for fuel assistance when she bought her home in her early 20s. Lindsey relies on CAPSC resources because she’s unable to work due to a spinal cord injury that paralyzed her when she was a teenager.

“I need a house,” she said. “I don’t want to live in assisted living or things like that.”

CAPSC employees have worked every year to make sure having her own house is still within Lindsey’s means. We’ve provided utility assistance, installed new attic and basement insulation, and made air quality improvements, among other projects.

“We were losing a lot of heat with the house not being insulated properly,” said Lindsey, who said she no longer has to keep her heat set to 80 degrees to ensure her home’s at a comfortable temperature.

CAPSC staff have also helped Lindsey access other services outside our organization, including a recent partnership with local nonprofit Community Toolbox to build her a new ramp.

Lindsey said all the help she’s received shows her she has an entire community behind her. 

“CAPSC has always been there to help,” she said. “It doesn’t feel judgmental. When you go to CAPSC, it’s welcoming, they’re inviting, and they give you more resources to find help because they understand that everybody struggles.”

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Weatherization

Home weatherization is an important part of making homes more energy efficient, which can save people money and reduce dependency on fuel assistance. CAPSC works with eligible families participating in our Fuel Assistance Program (FAP), making improvements that can include installing insulation, carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, air sealing the home, upgrading of old appliances with efficient Energy Star appliances, and heating system upgrades.

Learn more here.

Fuel Assistance Program (FAP)

The federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Program (LIHEAP), also known as the Fuel Assistance Program (FAP), provides qualified households with assistance in paying their heating bills during the winter heating season. Your benefits are calculated based on number of household members, household income, energy costs and housing type among other things. This allows those households with the lowest incomes and highest energy costs to receive the highest benefits.

The Fuel Assistance Program runs from November 1 – April 30, and applications are accepted starting July 1.

Learn more here.