SCARBOROUGH – There’s no question the polar vortex has had everyone feeling the deep freeze this winter, but for some, that chill also brings deep worries about heating costs.

However, on Saturday, Feb. 8, representatives from several community groups will come together from 9 a.m. until noon at the Oak Hill Fire Station in Scarborough for the second annual “Keep Our Neighbors Warm” rally, in hopes of raising $18,000 to help Project GRACE provide heating fuel assistance to local families in need.

And to inspire others to follow his lead in donating to the cause, local businessman and benefactor Eddie Woodin has issued a special challenge grant. If the community comes together to raise $10,000, combined, Woodin will donate $2,000. And, if giving tops $15,000, he’ll kick in another $1,000.

“Helping our community and our neighbors is a privilege and, I feel, a necessity,” said Woodin. “In these still-difficult economic times, the needs are significant, and having our neighbors shivering in the cold is unacceptable.”

According to Project GRACE Executive Director Steffi Cox, her organization, founded in 1997 to “improve the lives of our neighbors,” provided fuel assistance to 30 families in January.

That, says Project GRACE board member Jim Elkins, is a marked increase in need, coming just as the group is itself feeling the pinch.

“It was probably a record January,” said Elkins. “I don’t think we’ve ever had that many calls before. The problem is that we have a limited budget. A lot is going to depend on this fuel drive as to how much further we can go.”

Last year, the Martin family discontinued the Don Martin Golf Classic, a fundraiser held at the Prouts Neck Country Club initially meant to be a one-off affair in memory of Martin, who died on the links. However, the event went six years, raising $40,000 annually, which was split between Project GRACE and St. Nicholas’ Church.

“It was a very demanding event to manage,” said Elkins. “It was exhausting, so you can’t blame the family at all for electing not to do it any more.”

Project GRACE, which stands for Granting Resources and Assistance through Community Effort, also last year lost a $40,000 annual anonymous donation from a local family foundation that, for unknown reasons, says Elkins, “just decided to move on to other things.”

With those losses, Project GRACE had to dip into its reserve savings accounts to cover about half of the $45,000 it spent on heating assistance during the 2012-2013 winter season.

However, that kind of thing is not sustainable, says Elkins, especially given the other things Project GRACE does for those in need, particularly around the Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter holidays.

“We are scrambling to fill the gap, and thanks to some new grants and our first-ever annual campaign, we’ve made a lot of progress,” said Project GRACE board member Sam Kelley. “But $50,000 is quite a lot for a small group like ours to have to suddenly find.”

“We can say with some degree of confidence that we won’t be able to spend that amount of money again this year unless this fuel drive is successful,” said Elkins. “Otherwise, our forecast is that we can only afford about $30,000.”

According to Cox, gifts from community partners and many generous families and individuals has so far added up to about $10,000 in funds designated for fuel assistance.

About 60 percent of that came from collections sponsored by the faith community, including First Congregational Church of Scarborough, St. Maximilian-Kolbe, St. Nicholas, Blue Point Congregational, and West Scarborough United Methodist. The rest has come from individuals and businesses, like Saco & Biddeford Savings Bank, which this week made a gift of $1,000 to the heating fund.

“Although those very generous and deeply appreciated gifts have helped many neighbors keep the cold at bay, it’s not enough to get us through the end of the heating season, despite discounts from Conroy’s and the other heating fuel companies we work with,” said Cox. “With the number of calls we’re getting, we’ll be out of fuel money well before spring. And a Maine spring is a fickle one, with lots of cold and clammy weather.”

In addition to Woodin’s challenge grant, other incentives to attend Saturday’s rally include several fun activities for youngsters, including guided tours of the fire station and fire engines, story time with library director Nancy Crowell, and displays on how various animals adapt to the winter. The fire department also will offer winterization and emergency preparedness tips, as well as take registrations for special fire alarms provided free to the hard of hearing. The historical society also will have a presentation, and the Pine Point Ladies Auxiliary will provide baked goods. A number of door prizes also will be available. However, for those in a hurry, bay doors at both ends of the fire station will be open, so people can make a drive-through donation without ever getting out of their cars.

If everyone in town gave just $5, that alone would fill the need, says Cox.

“Families of all income levels – even here in Scarborough, an affluent town – are just a paycheck or two away from not having enough to put healthy food on the table, keep heating oil in the tank, or pay for life’s basic needs,” said Elkins.

“We want to thank everyone in advance for their support as they demonstrate the caring, giving nature of our community,” said Woodin. “For me, its also a commitment to turning faith and caring into action. Without action, my faith is void.”

Leading the charge for Saturday’s Heating Fuel Rally at the Oak Hill Fire Station in Scarborough are, from left, Project GRACE director Jim Elkins, Scarborough Rotary Club President Candy Macomber, Fire Chief Mike Thurlow, Project GRACE Executive Director Steffi Cox, Rotary member Deb Merrill, Eddie Woodin, who has issued a $3,000 challenge grant for the event, Rotary member Mike Payeur, Project GRACE director Sam Kelley and Dick Boardman, representing Scarborough Buy Local.