Neighbors still need help from fund as Sumter weather warms

As a string of rainy days gave way to sunny days nearing 80 degrees, it may be easy to put the winter season in the rearview mirror.

However, March quickly reminds us of the turbulent weather patterns it exudes every year. Just yesterday, a nearly 20-degree drop overnight yielded a cold morning and a need to bump up the thermostat.

For many Sumter neighbors in the wake of a most difficult year during the COVID-19 pandemic, the threat of having their electric accounts disconnected makes even milder winter weather an unbearable circumstance. Overwhelmingly, people in Sumter use electricity as their primary source of heat. As the result of job losses, business closures, virtual schooling creating childcare issues, hospitalizations and more, many people are still reeling from expenses incurred during prior months.

At the Crisis Relief Ministry of Sumter United Ministries, a client comes to us with an electric bill of more than $1,000 nearly every day. Yesterday, a client brought a bill of $2,100. When Duke Energy Progress suspended disconnects from March through September of 2020, many people had no option of paying their bill. It prolonged the situation with mounting debts. For months, people have made installment plans, month after month, to keep the utility on and ensure they would continue to have heat. As weather is warming and the positive cases are dropping, it is tempting to believe that all is well. For many of your neighbors, the struggle is ongoing.

Recently, a single lady in her 50s visited the CRM. She has raised her grandson since birth but does not receive any financial support. She struggles with chronic pain and sees a physical therapist. She has worked at a retail location for five years, and in the past year, she was promoted to full-time status. It is still a modest income but is continually being threatened by her physical pain.

She inherited a house from her mother. It is an old house with no central unit for HVAC and little insulation. Though it is rent-free, she spends $400 a month in electricity to heat the home, and "it is still very cold in the house," she said. Moving into an apartment might be a better option, but the rent would exceed the electric bill, and she has virtually no room in her budget for change. She works hard, depends upon others for transportation and does so in constant pain. She has never needed help from us before, but as she missed some work when the pandemic began, a few months stacked up the expense. Her account was nearing $1,000 in areas.

We were able to assist with her final notice and advise and encourage her. She will continue to stay warm on cold nights thanks to the generosity of the Sumter community. Thank you for sharing!

Donations to The Sumter Item's Fireside Fund go directly to Sumter United Ministries' Crisis Relief Ministry so they can help clients with heating costs and fixes. Each year, the fundraiser is dedicated to the memory of a member of the community who passed away in the last year and whose philanthropic or civic/public service impacted the Sumter community in a positive way. This year's Fireside Fund is in memory of all those who have lost their lives in Sumter from COVID-19.

New donations as of March 2: Fred Kubala, in memory of Sgt. Charles Kubala, Sumter County Sheriff's Deputy, $50