Agencies receive $4.4M in grants to weatherize homes for the elderly

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced Wednesday that $4.4 million in grants was awarded to assist low-income and elderly residents in weatherizing their homes.

The grants will support the state’s Weatherization Assistance Program, which provides funds to improve the energy efficiency and safety of qualifying homes, with priority given to people with disabilities, the elderly, and low-income households with children.

“Many low-income Alabama residents who struggle to pay higher utility bills could save money if their homes were more energy efficient,” Ivey said. “These important weatherization grants can assist in better protecting their homes from the effects of hot and cold temperatures, which too often drive up energy costs.”

The Montgomery County Commission will receive $183,390 as one of the 13 community agencies across the state that manage the program locally and receive applications from individuals who wish to be considered for assistance.

Other agencies receiving funds include:

$347,531 to Central Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission (Autauga, Chilton, Dallas, Elmore, Macon, Perry, Russell, and Shelby)
$147,911 to Community Action Committee Inc. of Chambers-Tallapoosa-Coosa (Chambers, Coosa, and Tallapoosa)
$208,606 to Alabama Council on Human Relations Inc. (Lee)
$292,024 to Community Action Partnership of Huntsville-Madison and Limestone Counties Inc. (Madison and Limestone)
$562,525 to Mobile Community Action Inc. (Choctaw, Mobile, and Washington)
$215,590 to Community Action Partnership of North Alabama Inc. (Cullman, Lawrence, Marion, Morgan, Walker, and Winston)
$816,205 to Community Action Agency of Northeast Alabama Inc. (Blount, Cherokee, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson, Jefferson, Marshall, and St. Clair)
$199,309 to Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama Inc. (Colbert, Franklin, and Lauderdale)
$528,009 to Organized Community Action Program Inc. (Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lowndes, and Pike)
$355,437 to Community Action Agency of South Alabama (Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Marengo, Monroe, and Wilcox)
$243,355 to Community Action Agency of Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Calhoun, and Cleburne (Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph, and Talladega)
$375,035 to Community Service Programs of West Alabama Inc. (Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Pickens, Sumter, and Tuscaloosa)

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) will administer the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“ADECA supports Gov. Ivey in helping Alabama’s most-vulnerable residents through the Weatherization Assistance Program,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “The partnerships with these community agencies ensure that many underserved residents receive help in preparing their homes for the hottest part of the year with improvements that help them now and well into the future.”

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