A Life Changing Event

“Because of this program, I no longer have to worry about C02 poisoning. I have adequate heat and no wind blowing through the windows and doors. For the first time, I don’t have to walk to the outhouse and worry about falling. I’m able to take a shower without going to someone else’s house. To say what I have received from the program has been life-changing would be a complete understatement.”

In 2018 GROW South Dakota’s weatherization team received a call from Ruth, a senior resident, in need of assistance with heating her house. When the weatherization team went to her home, they discovered energy inefficiencies as well as safety concerns. Not only did the heating system need to be addressed, but the previous heating unit was not adequately ventilated, which could cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Other weatherization measures discovered were leaking windows, creating drafting in the house, and there was no insulation in the attic, walls, and under the floor, which made the house very cold. There was not an exhaust for the stove, and there was not an indoor bathroom. The homeowner had been using an outhouse as a restroom and would go to friends and neighbors when she needed to shower.

GROW SD was able to transform this living space into a more efficient home by providing insulation to the entire house and provided new storm windows. GROW SD also replaced the old unvented space heater with a vented space heater, and installed an exhaust fan above the stove. Besides the lifesaving installment of a new heating unit, the most significant improvement, with assistance from the Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program (FHLB AHP) funding, was an addition to the house. Ruth now has an indoor bathroom with a shower, sink, toilet, and water hookups for a washing machine.

These life-changing modifications were made possible through the Department of Energy Weatherization Assistance Program and the FHLB AHP that are both administered by GROW SD. As noted by Marcia Erickson, GROW SD CEO, “This work is the core mission of GROW SD. We provide needed assistance to households that would not be possible without our dedicated team and our partnering funding sources that support the work we do. It is so rewarding to provide this type of service every day.”