SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A local organization is helping Seminole County residents save money by providing home weatherization upgrades for free.
Maria Ortiz was looking for help for a separate issue when she was told she qualified for the Meals on Wheels Etc. Seminole County Weatherization Assistance Program.
The program is funded by the United States Department of Energy, and receives supplemental funding from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and aims to help lower energy costs with weatherization improvements.
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Ortiz saved thousands after Meals on Wheels Etc. stepped in to provide free home weatherization upgrades.
“All the windows around the house, they come in, they sealed them, every one of them,” Ortiz said.
The upgrades for Ortiz included window sealing, weather stripping, a new ventilation system, and LED lights. The cost for Ortiz’s upgrades including supplies and labor came out to $4,018.
“I never expected all of these to be done for free—for nothing,” Ortiz said.
“It’s a big blessing not to spend $3,000 or more,” Ortiz said. “I don’t know how much it would be, you know—doing this by myself.”
While many might associate Meals on Wheels Etc. solely with delivering food to seniors, the organization offers a variety of services, including the Weatherization Assistance program.
“We work with our government, and we have a wonderful program where we help low-income seniors pay their power bills,” said Meals on Wheels Etc. Seminole County, Michael McKee. “So it makes perfect sense for the government to say, ‘Well if we’re paying power bills, why don’t we weatherize the home and get the power bills down?’ So, it works really well. And it’s amazing the difference that just the power bill, maybe $250 to $300 difference a month to someone who’s on a fixed income.”
For those interested in seeing if they qualify for the Meals on Wheels Etc. Seminole County Weatherization Assistance Program, click here.
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