Residents of northern Maine coping with a cancer diagnosis and worried about how they will pay the bills have a new resource to help reduce that stress thanks to a partnership between Aroostook County Action Program, the Maine Cancer Foundation and Versant Power.
Through a $10,000 grant from Maine Cancer Foundation and a dollar-for-dollar match from Versant Power, a $20,000 fund has been established that ACAP will administer in Aroostook County to help provide support to those fighting cancer in paying their household energy and utility payments.
“Cancer is one of the most expensive medical conditions to treat and the financial distress among cancer patients has only increased over the last several years," said Katelyn Michaud, MCF's Director of Programming. “We are proud to partner with Aroostook County Action Program and Versant Power to support Maine cancer patients and their families in this way. Our hope is to eliminate some of the financial worries that come with a cancer diagnosis, allowing more Mainers to concentrate on their treatment.”
Versant Power the electric transmission and distribution utility serving over 165,000 customer accounts in northern and eastern Maine also sees a great need for such support. Officials with the company feel the peace of mind that will come with the assistance will allow those fighting cancer to focus on what matters most.
“We were elated to hear that ACAP received funding from the Maine Cancer Foundation and were happy to match it and double its impact,” said Versant President John Flynn. “We hope it allows cancer patients and their loved ones in the County to focus on their health rather than their home energy costs.”
Recognizing that community members often turn to the Agency for assistance at such times, and that the restrictive eligibility guidelines for federal and state programs don’t always meet the immediate needs of households who don’t qualify, ACAP officials see the partnership with MCF and Versant as especially important and most timely.
“We were fortunate, in recent years, with additional federal and state funding and increased eligibility guidelines to be able to support households, including those with individuals fighting cancer, to help defray critical expenses such as home energy and utility costs,” said ACAP Director of Programs Heidi Rackliffe. “This Maine Cancer Foundation Grant and the matching funds from Versant will allow us to provide supports for those at a time when it is needed most, removing the traditional obstacles and barriers to accessing more restrictive programs.”
Households with individuals diagnosed with cancer who are in need of assistance with their energy and utility bills should contact ACAP at 207-764-3721
About Aroostook County Action Program
Serving the people of northern Maine for over five decades, Aroostook County Action Program provides the people of Aroostook County with services and resources that help individuals and families achieve greater economic independence. As a leader, or in partnership with others, ACAP provides guidance to the community in responding to emerging human needs in the areas of community health, early care and education, energy and housing, and workforce development services. Aroostook County Action Program continues to accept new clients as well as serve existing clients through a vast array of programming. To learn more about available services available, contact the ACAP Team at 207- 764-3721.
About Maine Cancer Foundation
Maine Cancer Foundation (MCF) is dedicated to reducing cancer incidence and mortality rates in Maine. 100% of the funds raised are invested back into communities to benefit the people of Maine. MCF leads a statewide endeavor to foster and grow the most promising and effective cancer-fighting efforts available to the people of Maine through a combination of grant-based financial support and coalition building.
About Versant Power
Versant Power is a regulated electric transmission and distribution utility serving 165,000 customer accounts in northern and eastern Maine. The company is responsible for the electricity grid — a system of poles, wires, substations, meters and other equipment that makes safe and reliable delivery of electricity possible. Versant Power’s role includes planning for the needs of the system; restoring power when Mother Nature creates havoc with overhead lines; evaluating new technologies that can enable greater reliability, resiliency, and customer choice; and timing investments so that benefits for customers exceed costs.
