WAYNE COUNTY, Pa. — A group of business owners in the forestry community in Wayne and Pike Counties have joined together to help heat the homes of people in need. The organization called ProFIA is a nonprofit that has come up with the "Fuel for Friends" program.
Members of ProFIA will deliver firewood to households that are in need. Matt Carney is the president of the organization and also owns a timber business near Honesdale.
"Historically, we've always done a cord or two that we would just donate to a family in need, whether it be a single person or a full family that's fallen on hard times. That's what we do; we donate a cord of wood. We just ask that we get a small bio to kind of decide who is—I'm sure all these people are in need, but who we really need to pick and choose from," Carney said.
Many people have also turned to wood as an alternate source of heating their homes because the price of other fuels has gone up.
"People that maybe last year or the year before didn't burn firewood very well; they're not going to burn firewood to burn oil. Well, now they may not have a supply, and they may not have money to buy fuel. So this year, I'm thinking we're going to see quite a spike in demand for firewood."
Carney says there is also more timber to be given out, especially ash trees that have to come down, allowing ProFIA to help more people.
"We're looking to do a few more than one or two. I don't want to put an exact number, but you know, we may do five or six depending on if we can get the stuff delivered all the logistics of it. So if we get that figured out, then we may do five or six cords."
If you or someone you know in Wayne or Pike Counties could benefit from the Fuel for Friends program and would like to apply, visit the ProFIA Facebook page and send a private message, or you can mail a letter describing your situation to:
ProFIA
P.O. Box 81
Honesdale, PA 18431