The following was submitted by Mayor Rob Dolan's office.

This week brought the first snows of winter and sent residents scurrying for ice scrapers and snow boots.

The cold weather also brought a surge in the number of calls for heating assistance. Funding for federal fuel assistance was cut this year, and Melrose's most vulnerable residents are feeling the cold because of it.

"Allotments this year are half what they were last year," said Mayor Robert J. Dolan. "At the same time, the price of oil has gone up. As a result, some people's allotments came to less than 100 gallons of oil."

Thanks to a generous donation of oil from the Melrose Rotary Club, the Emergency Fund is able to fill some of the gap—but the cold weather has only begun.

"Our clients are responsible people," Dolan said. "They keep the heat low, they do their best to keep the cold out. At the end of the day, though, you have to heat your home, and some people will have to choose between food and fuel. It is my hope that no one in Melrose will be faced with this stark choice."

The Emergency Fund provides one-time assistance in the form of help with bills, gift cards to Johnny's Foodmaster, and heating oil. The fund is administered by the mayor's office, and every penny goes directly to aid.

"We have no overhead," Dolan said. "It's the best investment you can make, in my opinion: Every dollar given to the fund goes directly to helping your neighbors provide basic needs for their families. It is truly an investment in our community."

To make a donation, you can send a check to Melrose Emergency Fund, Mayor's Office, 562 Main St., Melrose, MA 02176 or bring it directly to the Mayor's Office on the second floor of City Hall. Checks should be made out to the City of Melrose, with "Melrose Emergency Fund" in the memo line. For more information about the fund, call 781-979-4440.

Donations to the fund total $26,123 so far this year, including Rotary's in-kind gift of oil and the following recent donations: