WORCESTER, Mass. - As the weather gets colder, an annual campaign looks to ensure vulnerable Massachusetts families stay warm this winter. 

At City Hall on Thursday, the Worcester Community Action Council (WCAC) and city leaders launched their annual state-wide awareness campaign.

The campaign hopes to assist families with heating bills through the Home Energy Assistance Program. Last year, the program assisted almost 13,000 households in Worcester and southern Worcester County. 

WCAC director Marybeth Campbell says spiking oil prices combined with the COVID-19 pandemic is leading to an increase in demand for the program

“Certainly with COVID, I think it's been even further exacerbated, but people being able to have income, find work and get back to work. So this is, it's always a concern for us, that's a special concern to us this year. There is a big need for assistance and we're already seeing that,” Campbell said. “The program hasn't officially opened yet, it opens on Monday, November 1 and we already have 7,000 applications in.”

Cathy DiPilato designs reusable bags, using ink made from vegetables. She says her businesses was hit hard by the pandemic.

“My main source of income was selling at farmers markets and events," DiPilato said. 

DiPilato says she couldn’t go to farmer markets last year, because she wasn’t considered essential and it left her struggling financially. To make matters worse, lightning struck her house a few months ago.

DiPilato was told she needed a new furnace, but couldn’t get approved for a loan. So she called the WCAC, who was able to install one this week.

“It was such a relief, I can’t even explain," DiPilato said. "Two days before they installed the furnace, you could see my breath. I really took for granted that when you want heat you can just turn on your thermostat."

DiPilato isn’t the only one turning to the organization for heating assistance. About 7,000 people have already applied for help this year.

“We want to make sure any household that is eligible comes to us for help," Campbell said. 

As for DiPilato, she says her business is getting back on track and she’s glad to be working in a home that has heat.

For more information and to find out if you are eligible, visit heatinghelpma.org.