Fuel Assistance Program Puzzle.

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

Hi, I received more than one postcard from the Fuel Assistance Program. That is fine. I don't qualify (luckily, or that would mean I'm in or close to financial trouble). What is puzzling is that it is sponsored by the CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. My address is correct and is in Somerville. Any ideas why Cambridge sends these postcards to people in Somerville? Thanks.

Comments

[masswich.livejournal.com]

I think it is a regional program that is administered (and perhaps partially funded) by Cambridge, because they have more money than God.

[aquaflame16.livejournal.com]

The City of Cambridge program serves residents of Somerville as well. (Somerville doesn't have its own separate program.)

Wow. I did not know that.

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

Hear that Mr. Curtatone? :)

[aquaflame16.livejournal.com]

Actually, many (all?) towns are grouped together in at least small groupings, and some LIHEAP programs are administered directly by a city department, some by a community agency. You can look up services (fuel assistance and some others) by city/town here (http://app1.ocd.state.ma.us/fuel/).
for example: Somerville, as mentioned, is served by the City of Cambridge; Arlington and Lexington (and presumably others, including Lowell) are served by "Community Teamwork, Inc. (CTI)" of Lowell; Medford, Malden, and Everett are served by "Tri-City Community Action Programs, Inc. (TRICAP)" in Malden; etc.
I imagine it makes things much simpler having this done regionally, rather than at the city level in each city.

Perhaps the postcards from Cambridge ought to say something like "City of Cambridge fuel assistance program: serving residents of Cambridge, Somerville, ________" (fill in the blank if there are any others) but pretty much if you need to apply for the program you go to that website, pick your town and it tells you where to go.

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

I got that same postcard, and I gotta say the City of Cambridge might administer the program for S'ville, but I don't recall them being exactly forthright in saying that on the postcard. I mean, maybe I missed it—since I wouldn't qualify I didn't read it too carefully—but I looked at the card, said "huh. City of Cambridge" and discarded it. They might, if they actually *want* to help S'villians, print "Cities of Cambridge and Somerville" on the card prominantly or something.

[ron_newman]

Yeah, when I got the card I wondered if the post office or the city of Cambridge had made a mistake. My address is exactly on the Somerville side of the city line, and occasionally Cambridge politicians mistakenly leave their leaflets here when campaigning.

[moireach.livejournal.com]

Ha, I had the same thought.