(Host) More Vermont families have been hit by the slow economy.

A new report released today from the Vermont Housing Finance Agency says the number of families in the state without a home has risen.

In 2000, 429 families lived in the state's 22 shelters. Last year, there were 516 families in the shelters.

John Fairbanks researched the report. He says this winter could make a bad situation much worse.

(Fairbanks) ``For a lot of families across the state who no longer worry about making ends meet - now they just want the ends to wave at each other across the room - for people who are right on that economic margin, something like a high fuel bill could force them to skip the rent. And that could force them out of their apartment and into homeless.''

(Host) Other experts say they hope the state and federal government will help poor Vermonters survive the winter by putting more money into a heating assistance program.

Tim Searles of the Champlain Office of Economic Opportunity says many families will not be able to survive without help.

(Searles) ``The important thing to note, I think is the average Vermont household, heating with No. 2 fuel, and using the average amount of fuel, like 800 gallons, is going to be paying out of pocket, an additional $1,560, on average. That's the one-year increase over last year.''

(Host) Members of Vermont's congressional delegation have pushed to put more money into the low-income heating assistance program.

Advocates say Vermont will need an additional 19 million dollars this year to meet the demand.