WASHINGTON — Extreme stretches of cold weather like we’ve had this season can be budget busters for heating bills, and the Washington Area Fuel Fund is raising money to help needy families — with the help of an icehouse.
“We’re going to be sitting on ice. We’re going to be sitting within ice walls and we’re going to feel what it’s like not to be able to keep that thermostat up to 68 or 70 degrees,” said Adrian P. Chapman, president and chief operating officer of WGL Holdings Inc.
Anyone is welcome to visit the icehouse at Washington Harbour to make a donation. Local celebrities will be chilling out inside its cold confines for 30 minutes at a time in order to raise donations.
Special icehouse appearances include WTOP’s Bruce Alan and Joan Jones Friday at 3 p.m. Washington Capitals alumnus Peter Bondra and Slapshot the mascot will chill out at 2 p.m. Thursday. Washington Bullets alumnus Harvey Grant and the Washington Mystics’ mascot, Pax the Panda, are the chill-ebrities at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Because Washington Gas takes care of all the Washington Area Fuel Fund administrative costs, every dollar that is donated goes to help families pay their heating bills — whatever the energy source.
In 2017, the Washington Area Fuel Fund distributed more than $770,000 to help more than 8,000 families. Eighty-five percent had electric heat, 13 percent used natural gas, and two percent heated their homes with other sources, such as oil, kerosene, wood and pellets.
“You’ve got families who are at the poverty level who are probably paying about 30 percent of their income for energy bills,” Chapman said. “They may be eligible for federal heating assistance, but there just aren’t enough funds to go around.”
The Washington Area Fuel Fund icehouse will be accepting donations at Washington Harbour Thursday (2–8 p.m.), Friday (2–9 p.m.) and Saturday (12–9 p.m.).
You can also donate anytime at their website online.
