Casa Verde helps Maldonado Family escape summer heat, high energy bills

For nine years, the Maldonado Family endured hot and uncomfortable living conditions in their home. The bedroom walls and attic lacked insulation to guard against extreme summer temps that often reached triple digits. Cool air escaped through leaks around windows and the floor of the pier and beam home. As a result, the window air conditioning units ran constantly, driving up energy bills, but never cooling the home.

“We really struggled to pay our energy bill,” said Celena Maldonado. “We would have a $500 bill in June, July, August and sometimes in September. Our debt was piling up.”

Raul Maldonado desperately tried to make repairs to his home, but couldn’t afford energy saving improvements that would make a big difference.

Then, he learned about our Casa Verde program, which offers up to $5,000 of free energy saving improvements for qualifying families.

“Getting help through the Casa Verde program was very easy,” he said. “The guys that came over were very professional and kept everything clean while completing the work. I’m very grateful. I didn’t have to pay a cent for any of it.”

Watch the video to learn more about the Maldonado’s story.

Could you or a family member be eligible for Casa Verde or one of our other customer assistance programs? Click here to take an online survey to see if you qualify.

You can also visit our Casa Verde team in person and apply onsite at any of the events below.

Weekly Events

• Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Wheatley Community School, 415 Gabriel St.
• Wednesdays from 8 a.m. – noon at Mission Open Air Market, 707 Moursund Blvd.

Upcoming Events

• Thurs., Aug. 27, Holy Redeemer Church, 1819 Nevada St., 5 – 7 p.m.
• Sat., Aug. 29, Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway, Meadowcliff Community Center, 1240 Pinn Rd., 9 a.m. – Noon
• Sat., Aug. 29, Ella Austin Community Center, 1023 N. Pine, 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
• Tues., Sept. 8, Energy Savings Roadshow, San Antonio Event Center, 8111 Meadow Leaf Dr., 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
• Thurs., Sept. 10, Community Programs Fair, Southside High School, 19190 US Hwy. 281, 5 – 7 p.m.
• Wed., Sept. 23, Energy Savings Roadshow, Second Baptist Church, 3310 E. Commerce St., 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

NOTE: We recommend a thermostat setting of 78-80 degrees during the summer months to save energy and money.

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