Energy Assistance

Graphic of a leaf icon.

We believe everybody should

be warm at night.

Heating costs for older homes, mobile homes, and energy-inefficient apartment rentals can cause a household‘s energy bill to increase significantly during the winter months. To assist with winter heating bills HRDC administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) which provides heat bill supplements to more than 1,000 households annually. HRDC also administers Energy Share of Montana (ESOM) which provides year-round energy emergency assistance to prevent utility disconnection and assists with hot water heater or furnace repairs.

Qualifying households may also receive free home weatherization. Weatherization includes a comprehensive energy audit focusing on whole house ventilation, energy savings, conservation education, and health and safety. Renters or homeowners may receive insulation, infiltration remediation, combustion appliance testing and tuning, energy conservation education, and measures to improve home safety and efficiency. Energy measures installed are based on the projected savings to investment ratio for the energy retrofit, which must pay for itself within the lifetime of the energy saving measure. This helps more than 100 households annually to reduce their overall heating costs in perpetuity.

Additionally we may be able to help with emergency firewood, made possible by firewood donations.

Emergency
Energy
Heat Bill
Assistance
Home
Weatherization
Emergency
Firewood
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Brooke Poole

Public Sector

Since 2015, Brooke has been working with Allergan Aesthetics, Body Contouring. In 2018, Brooke began her role as Senior Manager of Training. Brooke graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Commercial Photography from Appalachian State University in 2011.

Brooke began her role on our Board in 2019. However, she feels it’s more fitting to say that she gets to serve on our Board. For Brooke, an evening at our Fork & Spoon was her first glance into our organization’s powerful work. As Brooke states, joining the Board has only expanded her appreciation for the caliber of people leading our mission and the impact of our vast ecosystem of services. While metrics alone are impressive, Brooke likes to visualize each number as an individual example of support – an extension of a helping hand, a moment of relief – given to one of our neighbors. She is grateful for the opportunity to participate in shaping HRDC’s future.

Although Brooke spends most of her volunteer time with HRDC, she was fortunate enough to build with Habitat for Humanity over the course of the summer in 2020. Her favorite place to spend time is anywhere under the Big Sky, although Hyalite may be her favorite place on Earth.

Ron Brey

Public Sector

Ron served as Bozeman’s Assistant City Manager from 1990 to 2008. After retiring, Ron joined our Board in 2011. Ron received his Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Montana in 1977, and his Masters in Science in Rural, Town, and Regional Planning from the University of Montana in 1987.

During his time with the City of Bozeman, Ron saw the important role that HRDC has played in our community. Ron has seen that HRDC provides necessary social services to assure that all Bozeman residents could obtain housing, food, training, employment and the other necessities of life. He also came to understand that HRDC was always able to respond immediately as new community needs arose. Ron believes that the dedication, hard work, and compassion of HRDC’s staff make it a real honor to serve on the Board.

Ron also serves on the Trails, Open Space and Parks Committee for the City of Bozeman, and as a volunteer with the Red Cross. One of Ron’s favorite activities is walking his beloved dog every day, enjoying many of Bozeman’s trails and parks, like Burke Park, Bozeman Creek, and the Hyalite and Mount Ellis areas. Ron and his wife Claire enjoy spending their days with family, friends, and time outdoors.