MARTINSBURG – Roach Energy made its first Warming Hearts and Hands delivery Thursday to Marion Cain’s house in Martinsburg.

Roach Energy has partnered with United Way of the Eastern Panhandle to raise funds for the Warming Hearts and Hands utility assistance program.

“We’re donating 1 cent per gallon of fuel oil and propane to all customers from our Warming Hearts and Hands branded delivery trucks through April 15,” said Steve Roach, chief operating officer and co-owner of Roach Energy, Thursday.

Cain has been a customer of Roach Energy for 56 years, now working with the fourth generation of Roaches who have operated the business, she said.

She requested that her load of fuel oil be delivered by Roach’s Warming Hearts and Hands branded truck to take advantage of the donation dedicated to the program, Cain said Thursday.

Cain was surrounded by several members of the Roach management team and UWEP representatives as well as Roach’s mascot, Rocky the Raccoon, and her favorite delivery man, Jeremy Perkins.

Roach said that deliveries range anywhere from 100 gallons to 500 gallons.

“We’ll deliver tens of thousands of gallons of fuel during the season,” he said.

Roach delivers throughout the Eastern Panhandle and Washington County, Md., he said.

“This is our first year for this program, but we’ve supported United Way agencies with donations in the past,” Roach said.

In addition to the fuel delivery contribution, ROCS convenience stores is selling Warming Hearts and Hands coffee mugs, and $3 from each sale will go to the program, he said. And 10 cents from every discounted refill using the mugs will also go to the program. This promotion will be offered year-round.

Roach Energy also has teamed with BP America to support Warming Hearts and Hands through BP’s fueling communities program. BP will match every $1 customers donate to the program with $1 up to $6,500, explained Kevin Knowles, ROCS vending manager.

Roach applied to take part in the fueling communities program, naming Warming Hearts and Hands as its community charity. Roach hopes to make the investment a multi-year commitment, Knowles said.

UWEP’s Warming Hearts and Hands was instituted in 2006, Vicki Shean, director of resource development for UWEP, said Thursday.

“It fills the gap where families need utility assistance,” she said.

After all sources of assistance from state and federal agencies are exhausted, Warming Hearts and Hands steps in to pay for utilities, she said.

Families must apply for assistance through the local office of West Virginia’s Department of Health and Human Resources, Shean said. The local office screens applicants for the program, she said. Families should call UWEP’s information directory at 304-262-0048 to find out how to apply, she said.

To donate to Warming Hearts and Hands, Shean said to call UWEP at 304-263-0603 or go to its website at www.uwayep.org where donors can make secure online contributions. Credit cards and checks are accepted, she said.

To order a delivery of Warming Hearts and Hands heating fuel, call Roach Energy at 304-263-3329 or go to www.roachenergy.com to order online.