For the third consecutive year, United Way of the Coastal Empire is the recipient of the Atlanta Gas Light Company's Home and Heart Warming Program. The grant, in the amount of $100,000, was awarded to help seniors and low-income homeowners with free repair or replacement of gas appliances, such as hot water heaters, furnaces, space heaters and stoves.

The Home and Heart Warming Program is available to residents of Chatham, Bryan, Effingham, Liberty and Glynn counties. To qualify for the program, a person must own their own home, be an Atlanta Gas Light Company customer, have a yearly income of less than 150% of the poverty level (which is less than $30,000 for a family of four), prove that all household members are U.S. citizens or legal residents and be in need of repair or replacement of a qualifying appliance.

Residents can call 2-1-1 or 912-651-7730 to find out if they qualify for the program and how to apply.

Home and Heart Warming offers assistance in two primary areas: Weatherization Services, which reduce the amount of heat lost from homes by improving insulation and sealing duct work, and Repair and Replacement Services, which repair or replace defective or inoperative furnaces and hot water heaters.

The focus of the Home and Heart Warming Program is to help families increase their self-sufficiency by lowering their energy bills for the upcoming colder months and improving the safety of their home. This program is also concerned with helping those who are elderly or living with a disability maintain independence in their home.

“I applaud Atlanta Gas Light Company for their leadership in stepping forward to help individuals this coming winter,” said Gregg Schroeder, president and CEO of United Way of the Coastal Empire. “This real and symbolic gift of warmth is especially timely as temperatures are dropping and needs are rising. I encourage other companies and individuals to step forward and lend a hand to help those in need."

For more information about Home and Heart Warming Program, please contact Trudy Jones at 912.651.7712 or tjones@uwce.org.