Single Mother Keeps Her Family Warm with Help from LCOC
When temperatures on the Cape dipped into freezing territory last December, Helena faced a crisis familiar to many working parents. The single mother of three had watched her heating oil gauge sink toward empty, knowing she couldn’t afford a refill. “I tried to make the kids feel warm and cozy with extra blankets at night,” Helena said, “but when they started waking up shivering, I knew we needed help.”
Helena works as many hours as she can at a local market while raising her 10-year-old son and 6-year-old twin daughters. After paying rent and covering basic expenses, there was little left for utilities. That’s when she reached out to the Lower Cape Outreach Council (LCOC), an Orleans–based nonprofit serving the Lower and Outer Cape that provides emergency financial assistance to families struggling with the rising cost-of-living. Additionally, the agency oversees nine emergency food pantries spread throughout the eight towns of the Lower and Outer Cape.
After assigning Helena to a volunteer advocate who assessed her needs, LCOC covered the cost of an oil delivery through its partnership with local oil providers. The tank was filled within 24 hours, bringing the house back to a comfortable temperature.
“When that oil truck pulled up, I could’ve cried,” Helena said. “I felt this wave of relief knowing my kids would be warm again.”
According to LCOC, requests for assistance are at their peak during the coldest months as budgets get stretched thin and savings from seasonal employment begin to run dry. Today, Helena’s home is once again warm and comfortable for her kids, and she is regularly visiting her local LCOC pantry to supplement her weekly grocery store trips. “It’s more than just heat and food,” she said. “It’s the feeling that someone cares.”
Last year, LCOC assisted nearly 1,000 households with emergency “voucher-based” financial assistance. Donor funding helped to keep families warm, clothed, and fed during the cold, winter months.