Every winter season with 30,942 (12.2%) of the Buncombe County population living below the poverty level, there is a need to help families and individuals with heating assistance. What follows is just one of many “Cold Weather Stories.”

Jamie B is pregnant and lives with her four-year-old daughter. She graduated from phlebotomy school, hoping to pursue a new career, but full-time job opportunities were scarce due to COVID-19.  Jaime received a final notice of impending disconnection from her utilities company. ABCCM helped her pay the bill and averted disconnection. She signed her daughter up for the Christmas Angel program and received presents to make Christmas morning brighter.

This year, due to the unemployment, lack of medical insurance and overall economic impact of Covid-19 there are more Cold Weather Stories than ever, similar to Jaime’s.  Demand for heating assistance has risen dramatically for many of our county’s elderly residents and families with small children.

In 2020, ABCCM provided 5,744 households with emergency assistance. ABCCM receives an average of 10-15 calls a day, including elderly and families with children for heating assistance and has prevented the shut off of heat for 163 households with over 354 household members over the last 90 days, costing about $23,000. In 2020, we helped 836 households with heating assistance, that number includes those who were facing cut-off and were already disconnected.

ABCCM is seeking donations and sponsors for families with children and individuals, including our elderly. If you are in a position to help those in need with the basic necessity of heat this winter, ABCCM is asking you to please click one of the Safe & Warm options below.