Free firewood for neighbors in need
Many households in our area heat with wood. HEAP covers a portion, but not enough for a full season. Every winter, people in our community go cold.
A woodbank works like a food pantry, but for firewood. Volunteers collect, split, season, and distribute free cordwood to households that can't afford to heat their homes.
Many are small, volunteer-run operations serving a handful of families in their own towns. We'd like to start one here.
Chainsaw, hydraulic splitter, and a truck to haul with
A small group of people willing to put in the work
USDA Forest Service Firewood Bank Assistance Program
This is our biggest need. We're looking for a flat, truck-accessible area in or near Rosendale where we can store logs, run a splitter, and stack wood to dry.
A corner of a farm, a municipal yard, church property, or an unused commercial lot would all work. It doesn't need to be fancy — it needs to be accessible and available.
Weekend processing days — show up, split and stack wood, help a neighbor stay warm. No experience needed. Safety equipment provided.
Downed trees, hazard trees, tree service removals. Hardwood only — oak, maple, ash, hickory, cherry, beech, birch, and locust.
We want to build this the right way. If you heat with wood and have struggled with costs, if you know someone who has, or if you have thoughts on how a program like this should work in Rosendale — we want to hear from you.
Wood is collected from local sources and brought to the processing site. Volunteers split and stack it to dry over spring and summer. By fall, it's ready to distribute.
October through March, prioritizing elderly residents, people with disabilities, families with young children, and emergency heating situations.
FamiliesFree firewood for households that can't afford to heat their homes
Tree ServicesA free, local drop site for logs they'd otherwise pay to dispose of
The TownProductive use for storm debris and hazard trees
VolunteersA tangible way to help your neighbors
We're in the early stages and looking for all kinds of support — a place to work, people to work with, wood to work on, and ideas to work from.