The number of heating assistance applications to the Orange County Fuel Fund this winter has reached 24 as of Dec. 20, according to Michele McKeon, chief operating officer for the Regional Economic Community Action Program (RECAP).
Last winter, the number of total applicants was just 33.
RECAP runs the fuel fund in partnership with the county government.
Even as applications surge, many needy families—mainly veterans and seniors—are still unaware of the program and the fact that they qualify for help, according to RECAP Chief Operating Officer Charles Quinn.
“It’s their tax dollars, and I really encourage them to apply for it,” Quinn said at a Dec. 20 press conference to bring awareness to the fund….