Dear Members,

In this season of Lent, please consider doing an extra act of charity
for our Society.  We need  members to cover emergency services to
families and to take on long-term families.  There is also a TEMPORARY
need for someone to retrieve telephone messages from St. Columba Rectory
and to return calls.  Please help!!  Call Carole 227-5285

One of our members, Elizabeth Adams, posted a food storage guide on the
bulletin board in the food closet.  Check it out; it is very
interesting.  With storage times in mind, I urge you to please take the
frozen salmon steaks, turkeys and bread/muffins to your client families.
Also, always look in the cooler.  Upon occasion we have fresh fruit,
vegetables, eggs and milk which just won't last.

RECENT DONATIONS;
The A & P has started giving us salvage foods again.  In three visits we
have received about 50 large boxes of items.  Please take these items
even though the box or container may not be perfect.  The food inside is
still useable.  Any severely  damaged or popped cans have been discarded.

St. Denis Youth Group collected $1467.88 during their SOUPER BOWL
WEEKEND DRIVE.  We sincerely thank them.  What a great success!

Sabellico's Florist also added considerably to our food inventory.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HEAP (HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM)
TELEPHONE  845/486-3249
OFFICE HOURS  8:30 - 4:00 PM

If your client has not applied, I have been assured by the agency it is
not too late and there is still money available.

HEAP is a federally funded seasonal program which generally runs from
November to late spring.  This year it may last until September.  It is
based on monthly gross income and covers oil, natural gas and electric.
The fund will also help in emergency situations.  If utilities are
included in rent the program will pay toward the rent.  A client must
file an application and a face to face interview is required unless the
family is all ready receiving public assistance or food stamps.  Also,
those 60 or older may apply through the Office for the Aging who will
act as their advocate.  Seniors do not have to personally appear for an
interview.

Income Eligibility Guidelines

Household size       Tier I    Tier II
1                        $0-905      906-1486
2                          0-1219    1220-1943
3                          0-1533    1534-2400
4                          0-1847    1848-2857
5                          0-2161    2162-3314
6                          0-2475    2476-3771
etc.

Benefit amounts are determined by which tier their income falls in to.

Besides the application the following documentation is required:
l.  Address verification
2.  Birth certificates, marriage license, etc. to confirm number of
people in household.
3.  Fuel/Utility bills
4.  Proof of income
5.  Citizenship or qualified alien status

If an application is received incomplete, there is a 10 business day
time limit to provide the requested information.  This is the only time
limit in the program as long as there is money in the fund.  I have a
copy of an application if anyone would like to review it.

If a person is denied, the client can request a conference and/or a fair
hearing to straighten out the problem.  They would call 486-3000 Dept.
of Social Services for a conference or 1-800-342-3334 for a fair
hearing.

Right now HEAP is providing one regular payment for fuel and 2 emergency
benefits.  An emergency is determined by:
1.  Termination notice from energy provider or
2.  Having less than 7 days of fuel oil in tank.

Lastly there is a monthly program conducted by Dutchess County Community
Action Agency called "Extra Helpings".  It is for families not willing
to take charity from a food pantry but need a way to stretch their food
dollars.

There are no age limits, no income limits and the program will accept
food stamps as payment.
If you sign up and pay $14.00 in advance (by March 12th this month), the
family would pick up groceries on March 28th in either Beacon, Dover
Plains or Red Hook as follows:
1 each -  6 lb roasting chicken, 1 lb. pork sausage, l lb. hot dogs,
frozen apple pie, stuffing mix, l lb. frozen broccoli, 16 oz. yams,
cranberry sauce, turkey gravy, corn flakes cereal, elbow macaroni, 5 lb.
potatoes and bunch of celery.
For additional information, please call Gayle Garin at 845/831-2620.

Our next meeting will be March 14th at 7 PM in the St. Denis./St.
Columba school library.  We need your help so please come out to the
meeting.

God bless you.

Carole Grafer, President