WLNE Launches ‘Operation: Warm Home’ to Help New England Families Without Heat

By Andrew Gauthier 


As a bitter cold spell whips through the Northeast, Providence’s WLNE has introduced a unique program to help area residents who are unable to heat their homes.

The ABC-affiliate is partnering with northeastern heating company Petro Oil on “Operation: Warm Home,” which connects local families struggling to heat their homes with WLNE viewers looking to help.

“Forecasts are for low temperatures between five and ten below zero,” said Steve Doerr, vice president and general manager of WLNE. “People need help and they need it now. ‘Operation: Warm Home,’ is our program to get them enough oil to get through the next few days.”

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The station has received an influx of emails and phone calls in the last few days from families in need as well as concerned viewers offering to donate their unused home heating oil.  WLNE has been running segments on its newscasts, profiling individual families that have been helped by “Operation: Warm Home” (see video above for an example).

“Sometimes you need to go beyond informing viewers and take an active role in making their lives better,” said Dan Fabrizio, WLNE’s news director.

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