The Deerfield Valley Community Cares fund was founded in the fall of 2004 to help people in our community with their heating expenses. Our aim is to help people who, despite their best efforts, sometimes cannot make ends meet during the winter months. Our recipients are primarily working families and seniors on fixed incomes. Loss of jobs, illness, accidents, or just plain bad luck can drain the resources of any one of our neighbors at any time. We try to provide short term help while they get back on their feet.

We help people who normally fall between the cracks – working or retired, who make enough money so that they do not qualify for other types of aid, but are not quite able to meet their expenses in the winter. We do not provide month-to-month support. When we help people, our payments go directly to their fuel suppliers.

Referrals come to us from town officials, medical professionals, school staff, church pastors, concerned neighbors, and sometimes from fuel companies themselves. After checking some background information, we have the fuel delivered within 24 hours. There are no applications to fill out and virtually no waiting period. More often than not, we do not even contact the recipient. We cover residents of the towns within the Deerfield Valley: Wardsboro, East and West Dover, Wilmington, Marlboro, Searsburg, Whitingham, Jacksonville, Halifax and Readsboro. We are a non-profit corporation with a federal 501-C-3 designation.

Our fund has been enriched in the past by individual donations, raffle proceeds and the sale of our popular Deerfield Valley Uncovered calendar. The biggest source of our income comes from the members of the PropaneDover fuel buying group. You may access information about this group at propanedover.com.

“I have lived in West Dover for 43 years now. Raised my 3 children alone. Now in my senior years my financial situation plummeted. I am so appreciative by the assistance I have received in the form of wood, which is my primary heat source, from Deerfield Valley Community Cares. Sue Spengler does an amazing job running the program helping those in need.”

“I am very grateful for the fuel assistance I received after my hospital stay. It has enabled me to focus on my recovery. It is nice to have a group like yours ready to help others in the valley. Thank you for your support and generosity.”