Keeping Households Connected While Keeping Dignity in Howard County
During these extremely cold months, Kia was scared. She had a new baby that arrived early, lost her job, and couldn’t afford the heat. All alone with her newborn daughter, facing anxiety, she had nowhere to turn.
I remember staring at the utility bill, holding my baby in one arm and crying,” she said. “I didn’t know how we were going to make it.”
The winter chill crept in, and so did the fear—fear of losing heat, of failing her preemie, of not being able to provide the basics. Kia had always been resourceful, but this time, she felt truly lost.
Out of desperation, she confided in a total stranger on the bus, who told her about the Fuel Fund of Maryland. That night, Jasmine visited their website. She read story after story of families like hers—people who had been helped when they needed it most. With cautious hope, she filled out the application the next morning. Days later, she received the news: she had been approved for a financial grant. She followed Fuel Fund instructions for next steps, and the rest was easy.
It was like someone finally saw me,” Kia said. “They didn’t just help me pay a bill—they gave me a chance to breathe again, and they did it while allowing me my dignity.” You Can Be That Lifeline. Keeping households connected is what the FFM does. Help families like Kia’s by donating to the Fuel Fund of Maryland. Click here to donate.