By Rep. Parnell Terry
As families prepare for the colder months ahead and heating oil hovers around $6/gallon, the biggest issue I am hearing about in Gorham is the cost of heating homes this winter.
In Maine, roughly half of all households rely on heating oil, so record high fuel prices are putting more pressure on family budgets than ever before. Over the last few years, the cost of electricity has also skyrocketed, largely due to New England’s dependence on natural gas to produce our power.
If you are struggling to stay warm this winter, please know that help is available.
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is available to homeowners and renters to help heat their homes. If you think you might qualify, I encourage you to apply early. If there comes a time this winter when you have an extremely low supply of heating fuel, you may also qualify for crisis assistance through the Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP).
Those who rely on electricity for heat may also be eligible for help with their electric utility bills through the Low Income Assistance Program (LIAP).
Gorham residents can learn more and apply for each of these programs through the Opportunity Alliance. To get started, give them a call at (207) 553-5900. For more information, visit their webpage: www.opportunityalliance.org/heap. You can also go directly to MaineHousing’s website, www.mainehousing.org, to learn more and apply online.
211 Maine can also help you access heating fuel assistance and other support. Call 211 to be connected with a specialist or text your zip code to 898-211.
Additionally, you can contact the Town of Gorham at (207) 892-1906 to see if you qualify for General Assistance, which can help with housing, fuel and the cost of other necessities.
The Town of Gorham also has the Gorham Heating Assistance Fund, which is supported by Gorham citizens and businesses who want to help keep our neighbors warm. Donations can be made at the Gorham Town Clerk’s office or mailed to the Gorham Town Office at 75 South Street, Suite 1, Gorham ME 04038. If you have any questions, you can call the clerk’s office for more information at (207) 222-1670.
Maine has an older housing stock, and improving energy efficiency can significantly reduce the cost to keep a house warm. If you need to make energy-related repairs to your home, MaineHousing offers two programs that can help: weatherization and central heating improvement (CHIP). These programs provide grants to reduce energy costs by improving home energy efficiency or to repair or replace central heating systems. Some households may also qualify for low-cost energy loans to make repairs or upgrades.
Finally, earlier this month, the Maine Department of Energy Resources released a winter heating guide with a list of statewide heating fuel prices that is updated weekly and other resources to help Mainers stay warm this winter. Find the 2026-2027 guide online at www.maine.gov/energy/winter-heating-resources.
As state legislators, we can’t control the federal government or national economic trends, but we can and should focus our efforts on how to ensure every Mainer is warm, fed and cared for.
When lawmakers return to the State House in December, making sure Mainers can safely and affordably heat their homes must be an urgent priority.
If you need assistance navigating state services or accessing support, please reach out to me at Parnell.Terry@legislature.maine.gov or call my office at (207) 287-1430. I can best represent our community by hearing from you about issues both in our district and across the state.
Rep. Terry is serving his first term in the Maine House and represents part of Gorham. Terry is a member of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee and the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee.