Share the Warmth
Final Campaign Statistics
(2001/2002)
Ottawa
CAMPAIGN SUMMARY
Important Considerations
Overview. From 2000/2001 to 2001/2002, STW increased energy assistance distribution in Ottawa by over 43%. This was achieved despite a 28% decrease in donations from this community.
Donation Levels. A marked decrease in donations from 2000/2001 to 2001/2002 can be attributed to a combination of the following factors: due to donor preoccupation with the tragic events in the U.S. at the commencement of the 2001/2002 Heating Season,[1] and one of the warmest winters on record (the highest winter temperatures in 162 years).
STW-Ottawa Activity
In 1999-2000, Share the Warmth (STW) expanded from a service area of 2 municipalities serving 680,000 households to a service area of 81 municipalities serving 2.2 million households. In 2000-01, Share the Warmth further expanded its service area from 81 municipalities serving 2.2 million households to a service area of over 400 municipalities serving 4.3 million households.
This past heating season was the third year Share the Warmth has operated in Ottawa.
Energy Assistance Services. Eligibility screening was performed in large part by our trained partner agencies. Agencies, using province-wide criteria, determined if applicants met program eligibility and targeted assistance to households in threat of disconnection/homelessness or in other critical emergency circumstances.
Case Management Services. All applicants in need of energy assistance whether they qualify for STW assistance or not, are case managed in order to determine whether alternative funders or existing community-based resources can assist in alleviateing the particular crisis.
Program Criteria. The 2000-2001 program criteria required that applicants be a family, a senior, terminally ill or disabled, living at or near the poverty level. If at this initial screening process a caseworker determined that an applicant met the criteria on paper an online application was submitted. Socially Assisted Applicants. All applicants on social assistance or ODSP are required to first contact Social Services to request emergency funding; only those who are not eligible can then apply to Share the Warmth.
STW works as the enabling force in this process; many of the Ottawa agencies were previously unaware that this particular assistance from the Region even existed. These agencies provided case management services to a larger number Ottawa residents that resulted in increased, and more rapid access, to region dollars allocated to the socially assisted.
Energy Assistance Grant
Level of Assistance. The maximum amount of assistance in Ottawa
ranged from $300-$400, with $266.27 being the average amount of assistance per
household.
Donor Options. Donors who used a utility insert to make a donation had the option of targeting their donation to households in need in their community or to where needed most. Funds targeted for the second option were pooled and redistributed to areas across the province according to need, demand and population.
OTTAWA –DISTRIBUTION
|
Ottawa |
Distribution 1999/2000 |
Distribution 2000/2001 |
Distribution 2001/2002 |
Percentage Increase 00/01 to 01/02 |
Percentage Increase 99/00 to 01/02 |
|
Total
Hydro Distribution |
- |
$13,003.19 |
$22,165.55 |
+70% |
- |
|
Total Gas Distribution |
$4,920.70 |
$12,356.03 |
$19,400.49 |
+57% |
+294% |
|
Total Fuel Oil/Propane/Wood Distribution |
$880.11 |
$5,252.28 |
$2,102.78 |
-60% |
+139% |
|
Total Distribution |
$5,800.81 |
$30,611.50 |
$43,668.82 |
+43% |
+653% |
DONATION STATISTICS
|
REVENUE
|
2001/2002 |
2000/2001 |
% Change |
||
|
|
Designated by Donor for “Ottawa” |
Designated by Donor for “Where Needed Most” |
Total |
Total |
00/01 to |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Cheque Donations |
$4,016.33 |
$11,112.37 |
$15,128.70 |
$18,960 |
-21% |
|
Bell Donations (all utilities) |
$2,185 |
- |
$2,185 |
$ 4,000 |
-45% |
|
Online donations (all utilities) |
$2,350 |
- |
$2,350 |
$
4,590 |
-49% |
|
Total Funds Raised |
$19,663.70 |
$27,460.00 |
-28% |
||
|
Total Energy Assistance Distribution |
$43,668.82 |
$30,611.50 |
+43% |
||
A marked decrease in donations from 2000/2001 to 2001/2002 can be
attributed to a combination of donor preoccupation with the tragic events in
the U.S. at the commencement of the 2001/2002 Heating Season, one of the
warmest winters on record (the highest winter temperatures in 162 years), and a
decrease in utility -sponsored advertising in the Ottawa region.
DEMOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION– OTTAWA
|
ALL
UTILITIES |
Heating Season 1999/2000 |
Heating Season 2000/2001 |
Heating Season 2001/2002 |
Percent Increase |
Percent Increase |
|
Number of Families (households with
at least one child under 21) |
23 |
103 |
129 |
+25% |
+461% |
|
Number of Children |
48 |
222 |
311 |
+40% |
+548% |
|
Number of Disabled/Terminally Persons |
18 |
68 |
94 |
+38% |
+422% |
|
Number of Seniors ** |
2 |
10 |
9 |
-10% |
+350% |
|
Total
Applications Approved |
31 |
131 |
164 |
+25% |
+429% |
|
Total Number
of People |
98 |
406 |
562 |
+38% |
+473% |
Notes:
**Senior Applicants remain STW’s greatest
challenge in terms of service delivery. Seniors are reared in a generation that
did not ask for help and tend not to come forward, even in emergency
circumstances. STW has attempted to partner with more agencies who specialize
in senior care in order to increase service delivery to this demographic.
DECLINED APPLICATIONS
Declined applicants are defined as applicants that met the initial criteria as a family member, senior, terminally ill or disabled member of the community, but did not meet the other province-wide criteria as determined through Share the Warmth’s online application. Due to the quality and thoroughness of Share the Warmth’s agency training, ineligible applicants were rarely forwarded for online processing. Consequently, only six applications were declined overall.
A total of approximately 21 applicants were denied access to the program (due to ineligibility or an unwillingness to provide the required supporting documentation), and at least 19 were referred to other programs pre-existing in the area (these figures are derived from agency surveys Apr 2002).
APPLICANT INCOME STATISTICS
In 2001/2002, 33% of all households provided with energy
assistance through STW in Ottawa were either employed or receiving employment
insurance, 38% were receiving pension or disability benefits, and 37% were
receiving social assistance benefits.
Note: Some applicants were
receiving income from multiple sources; i.e. employment income with an OW
subsidy.
APPLICANT UTILITY STATUS
Out of the 141 applications processed in Ottawa in
2001/2002, 1% were in threat of homelessness/eviction, 9% received assistance
to reconnect their utility service, and 56% were in threat of service
termination/homelessness.
In addition, 34% of the households assisted were in emergency circumstances due
to the onset of sudden illness, loss of income, or an inability to provide
basic necessities such as food, rent or necessary medicine, etc.