FREEPORT – Sue Mack is planning to stay cold to keep the community warm.

As part of the 2013 Freeze Out, a 24-hour food and fuel drive is scheduled to begin Saturday, Feb. 16, at 10 a.m., at the First Parish Church on Main Street. Mack, Freeport’s community services director, will stay outside and awake for 24 hours to accept cash and non-perishable food to benefit the Freeport Community Services community heating program and Freeport/Pownal food pantry.

This will be the third year in a row Mack has participated in the fundraiser.

With an especially cold Maine winter under way, Mack said, this year is a tough one for those struggling to afford heating oil.

“Every year the demand increases and we have seen an especially high number of people seeking assistance with both fuel and food,” Mack said.

The demand is underscored by the drop in federal funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, which saw funding drop from $54 million in 2011 to $38 million this year. According to Keep Me Warm, an organization that provides emergency heating assistance through a statewide partnership of Maine’s United Ways and Community Action agencies, changes in federal eligibility guidelines have left more than 4,000 previously eligible households out in the cold. Keep Me Warm has seen denial rates close to 20 percent, which is twice the typical rate in the winter.

For Mack, who keeps awake through the coffee donations of Frosty’s Donut Shop, the fundraiser is an important event that raises both money and awareness. In addition to the many well-wishers who promise to stop by, Mack said, a local Boy Scout Troop has offered to set up camp behind the church.

Mack said she keeps warm by “layering,” and also through the spirit of the community.

“People have really responded well,” said Mack, who will end the event at 10 a.m. on Sunday. “I urge everyone to stop by and say hello. This one 24-hour period can have a big impact on many families.”

Freeport Community Services Director Sue Mack wears her magic hat, which, she says, helps her stay awake for the 24-hour fundraiser that starts Saturday morning.