BRATTLEBORO — The Vermont Jazz Center (VJC) is hosting a benefit concert for the Windham County Heat Fund on Saturday, March 21, at 7:30 p.m. at 72 Cotton Mill Hill. The concert will celebrate the 80th birthday of bassist maestro Cameron Brown, who has been teaching at the VJC’s Summer Jazz Workshop since 2006.
His contributions and historic legacy will be honored as he and his New York-based band perform.
Tickets are available online at www.vtjazz.org, by email at [email protected] by phone 802 254 9088 ext. 1. All proceeds will go to the Windham County Heat Fund.
“The 21st year of the Windham County Heat Fund has made it clear that we can no longer be satisfied with past levels of funding,” said Richard Davis, co-founder of the Heat Fund, in a news release. “Federal fuel assistances programs are under assault by the Trump administration. Low-income Americans are being assaulted on multiple fronts by their own government. As the United States economy has widened the gap between the have’s and have not’s, average Americans struggle to pay their bills. Paying for fuel to heat their homes often takes a back seat to paying the rent, buying food and medicine and paying for other basic necessities.
“Our goal has always been to raise $50,000 a year and it looks like we will exceed that this year,” said Davis. “Over the past 20 years we have raised over $1 million and provided help in about 2,000 cases, whether individuals or families.”
But he said that goal may prove to be too low as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is in the sights of the Trump administration for elimination. If the program is eliminated there will be no federal fuel assistance. The state of Vermont receives $21 million each year. There are 14 counties in the state and, if distribution is based on that number equally, Windham County would need $1.5 million to make up the shortfall, according to Davis. He said the Heat Fund is exploring ways to supplement its fundraising in preparation for a worst-case scenario for next year’s heating season.
“We ask people to fill out an application and we try to vet all applications as best we can, collaborating with Southeast Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) and other human service organizations,” Davis explained. “We work closely with the front-line people in the offices of local fuel dealers. They are unofficial social workers and they know many of the trials and tribulations of their customers.
During the 2024-25 heating season the Heat Fund received $53,836 from 113 donors, including 105 individuals, seven corporations, one church and three grantees. Fuel assistance was given to 107 individuals/ families and the Fund paid $49,624.09 for all kinds of fuel.
“We only give money to fuel dealers, not individuals,” said Davis. “Most years we have no overhead because we take no salary and we pay for things such as stamps out of our own pockets.”
Donations can be made to VENMO, sending a check to Windham County Heat Fund, 63 Cedar St, Brattleboro, VT 05301 or directly at Brattleboro Savings and Loan.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.reformer.com ’
