The home may be the heart of the holidays, but for many low-income seniors, it represents a year-round struggle to keep up with needed repairs. This year, the Georgia Natural Gas Foundation is awarding $120,000 to HouseProud Atlanta to support its mission to provide no-cost home repairs to low-income senior, veteran, and disabled homeowners.
“We are delighted to partner once again with HouseProud Atlanta,” said Mike Braswell, president and CEO of Georgia Natural Gas and GNG Foundation Board member. “Our support of community partners like HouseProud will increase their capacity to continue their vital work supporting Atlanta’s most vulnerable seniors.”
“We are grateful for the support of partners like the Georgia Natural Gas Foundation,” says Lisa Flowers, director of HouseProud Atlanta. “We serve neighborhoods that are home to primarily African American seniors who have lived there for generations. Many residents who were once the foundation of their communities now find themselves in a situation where they can’t afford the neighborhood anymore.”
HouseProud Atlanta helps to protect low-income minority seniors against what housing advocates term as ‘equity theft’ – where predatory investors use high pressure marketing practices such as constant calls, texts and letters asking to buy their properties.
“In Atlanta, homes values are going up and some investors will offer seniors below market value,” adds Flowers. “For a lot of seniors, most of their wealth is invested in their home. We want to make sure that we help them protect that equity. That way, predatory buyers are less likely to target them. But if they do decide to sell then we know they will get top dollar for it.”
HouseProud Atlanta collaborates with local community groups to identify the seniors, veterans and disabled people who can benefit most by repairs designed to make their homes livable, so they can remain in them longer. Then staff works closely with highly qualified, licensed and insured contractors to perform repairs.
These grants are part of GNG’s parent company, Southern Company Gas, its Foundation, and its entire family of businesses. Every year, we give millions of dollars in grants to organizations that promote our values and passionately work to improve the lives of the communities we serve.