Thousands of people across Southwest Ohio have asked for a piece of the $45 million Gov. Bob Taft has earmarked for a program to help pay heating bills.

        More than 3,000 people in Hamilton and Butler counties alone have applied for “Project THAW,” which offers the poor a one-time payment equal to half of one utility bill, up to $250.

        Butler County has approved 600 people for the program and is processing another 1,500 applications. The average payment there has been $175.

        “It's been overwhelming,” said Rhonda Freeze, assistant program administrator for the Butler County Department of Job and Family Services.

        Hamilton County also has received more than 1,500 applications, just during the past two days. About 500 of them have been processed, although officials could not say Tuesday how many had been approved for assistance.

        “We fully expect another 1,000 applications to come through (today),” said Denise Winkler, a spokeswoman for the Hamilton County Department of Human Services.

        Hamilton County is expecting about $5 million initially from the state to cover the program. Although no money has come through yet, the county will start cutting checks as people are approved for the program.

        Warren County has received a few hundred applications and is mailing out about 50 per day, said Sandra Gambill, fiscal supervisor for the county's Department of Human Services.

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