In Her Own Words: Nancy
Since COVID-19, we’ve all been social distancing in our homes. But what if you live somewhere that’s not possible?
Nancy lives in a 420 sq. ft. apartment in a senior community in Salem. Her apartment has poor ventilation and no exhaust fan, and she shares the hallways, elevators, and other facilities with the other residents. Because of all the overlap, she told us it’s very difficult to maintain a healthy environment and worries about exposure to COVID-19.
To keep her apartment safe, Nancy has kept the window open for the last six months with a fan running to help the air circulate – even in the winter. But because of the cold temperatures, her heating bills have risen dramatically.
Nancy has no income except for social security, and the increase in her bills was a major financial burden. Fortunately, she qualified to receive energy assistance, which helped her catch up on her bills. In fact, she was so grateful for the help she received that she decided to give back by donating to Oregon Energy Fund’s energy assistance program.
Even though it was just a small amount, she says, “we’re all in this together – it shouldn’t just be words.” She asked herself: “What can I do right here that will make a difference? If there’s things we can do that help ourselves, help our neighbors – that improves life for everyone.”
No one should fall behind on their bills to protect their health. Thank you to Nancy for her generosity – please join her in supporting OEF’s energy assistance program today!