Alabama Business Charitable Trust Fund grant helps bring comfort to low-income families
A grant from the ABC Trust Fund's Home Forward program helped pay for improvements that have cut Mary Cheatwood's power bill by about $40 a month and made her home more comfortable. (Nik Layman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Mary Cheatwood had been living in her home for only about a year when the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system stopped working for the first time.
“It never would stay fixed,” said Cheatwood, who lives in Fruithurst, a small community outside Heflin in Cleburne County. “Most of the time, I was without heating or cooling. I couldn’t afford to purchase a new system, so I had to do the best I could.”
After struggling with her dying HVAC unit for several years, Cheatwood learned about the weatherization services program offered through the Community Action Agency of Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Calhoun and Cleburne (TCRCC) counties, and gave the organization a call.
The agency sent a representative to Cheatwood’s home to evaluate her energy needs. It then installed new insulation and weather stripping, as well as a free smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector.
The best part, Cheatwood said, is that the agency helped her get a new HVAC system using a grant from the Alabama Business Charitable (ABC) Trust Fund. The agency worked with her to apply for the grant through the trust’s Home Forward program.
Mary Cheatwood explains how ABC Trust made her a happier homeowner from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
“I actually cried when I found out I was going to get the HVAC unit,” said Cheatwood, adding that her power bill has dropped by about $40 a month since the system was installed. “I’m very thankful to the ABC Trust because without it, I couldn’t keep my home warm in the winter and cool in the summer.”
The ABC Trust partners with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and the Department of Energy to award grants of up to $5,000 to low-income families to help improve the energy efficiency of their homes and, thus, lower their utility bills.
Amanda Gaither, weatherization services coordinator of the Community Action Agency of TCRCC, said these grants make all the difference for residents like Cheatwood. It’s one more tool Alabama’s 22 community action agencies use to help families learn to live more energy efficiently.
“We have extreme temperatures in Alabama and never know from day to day if it will be hot or cold,” Gaither said. “Partnering with the ABC Trust has been a wonderful blessing. It has allowed us to provide an additional resource to these customers who cannot meet their energy needs on their own, without help from the Home Forward grant. The ABC Trust has done a lot for a lot of people.”
Individuals and families who meet certain federal low-income weatherization guidelines can apply for a Home Forward grant through their local community action agency. After the agency helps the family meet its weatherization needs, the trust can step in to provide additional assistance, said Tequila Smith.
“Many of these families are facing extenuating circumstances, which make it difficult for them to pay their power bills,” said Smith, ABC Trust executive director. “If we can support them in a way that will help them pay those bills and become more energy sufficient, that’s our goal.”
Senior adults on fixed incomes, individuals who are ill or facing temporary financial crises, or low-income families with young children can be considered for one of these grants, Smith said. Additionally, families may qualify if their home requires weatherization efforts beyond what can be provided through federal funding.
The ABC Trust is a nonprofit organization created in 1992 by Alabama Power to supplement energy efficiency efforts. It works to serve economically distressed individuals by providing resources and education through partnerships with ADECA, Alabama community action agencies and social services agencies. In 2020, the trust awarded about $170,000 to more than 30 families to assist with energy optimization through the Home Forward program.
“We are committed to achieving the ABC Trust’s mission of serving and empowering those in need,” Smith said. “By working with our community partners, we are achieving this common goal and putting families and customers like Ms. Cheatwood on a brighter path forward.”
Here’s how you can save energy this winter
Weatherization can make a big difference in a home’s power bills. (Nik Layman / Alabama NewsCenter)
Although cold winds will be blowing for the next couple of months in Alabama, you can stay warm and cozy at home and still keep your energy bills low. Here are nine tips to help keep you warm and your pocketbook full this winter.
- Reverse the ceiling-fan setting to circulate heated air from the ceiling to the room’s occupied areas.
- Leave the curtains open on sunny days, so the home will absorb the heat. Close the curtains on the shaded side of the house and at night.
- Make sure that furniture, draperies or doors are not blocking heating outlets or return air registers.
- Set the thermostat at 68 degrees or lower, then forget it. If you often change the temperature, it can lead to wasted energy.
- Add attic insulation. While many older homes don’t have enough insulation, you can add the material to any house. Additional attic insulation can save up to 30% on heating and cooling.
- Plug gaps between windows and doors with caulk or other materials, thus keeping the warmth in and the cold out. You can significantly lower home heating costs by adding weatherstripping and proper insulation in the attic and in crawl spaces.
- Replace your air filter every month, especially during the winter and summer, when your HVAC unit gets the most use. When that filter is clogged, it causes your system to work harder, which can lead to higher energy bills.
- Close the fireplace damper when not in use to prevent energy loss.
- Turn down your water heater to 120 degrees, which is safer for children and provides comfortable water for most uses. Wrap the water heater in an insulating blanket. The thicker the insulation, the more energy you’ll save.
For more information about the Home Forward program, call the ABC Trust at 205-257-0321. To get more tips on how to save energy, click here.
