As 2023 winds down, the days are getting shorter and the weather colder. I find myself putting on fleece vests and feeling thankful for the insulation in my walls and attic that keep my family warm. I am also thankful that we are climbing out of COVID mode: POWER had its best year yet, weatherizing 73 homes and apartments. The energy efficiency industry is back up to full speed. Our well-established relationships with contractors in the area ensure excellent and speedy work in our clients’ homes while funneling money into the local economy.

Another important milestone for POWER this year was participating in the City’s Climate Vulnerability Assessment. Heat will be an increasing challenge for Oberlin residents, with projections suggesting we’ll have as many as 30 days each summer over 90 degrees, compared to just the 3 - 4 we have now. A well-insulated building protects against heat as well as cold, and there are many low-cost heat-blocking technologies. POWER plans to be at the forefront of helping our most vulnerable residents protect themselves from soaring temperatures as well as freezing ones.

Can you support POWER’s goal of creating a community full of comfortable, affordable, and healthy homes in the face of a changing climate? A gift of $25 can upgrade an entire room’s light bulbs to high-efficiency LEDs. A gift of $50 can provide a family with a complete energy audit. A gift of $100 can install an insulating heat-blocking shade. Any amount helps.

POWER is run by, supported by, and devoted to our local community.

Please generously consider POWER in your 2023-2024 giving plan.

Sincerely,

Cindy Frantz, Board Chair