The winter months are the toughest on household utility bills, especially with rising energy costs. Appalachia’s middle class is poor by the national average and many can barely afford the day to day necessitates much less the extra cost of attempting to heat a home with little to no insulation. For low-income families in Appalachia, energy efficient homes mean two important things:
Recent studies analyzing utility costs and energy usage have shown that energy costs could more than double for people living in rural areas over the next ten years. Running the heat for longer means that families will spend even more money they may not have to keep their children warm.
Fahe and members focus on energy efficient home construction, retrofits, and simple weatherization techniques to help these families get ahead and have a quality place to live. We work with different federal programs as well as some of our own special initiatives to help families secure the funds necessary to have these necessities.
We have helped thousands of Appalachian families get out of the cold but there are still thousands more. You can make a difference by becoming involved. Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed of special events and volunteer opportunities. You can also help these families stay warm by making a generous donation.
Fahe has also released a publication on energy efficient housing techniques. You can read it here.