Free air conditioner programs.
Low income families can get a free air conditioner from government assistance programs, churches or local charities. Get a free AC unit near you from a charity that gives them away, government programs including LIHEAP, directly from utility companies and other organizations. Find how to get a free air conditioner, a window fan or repairs to an AC unit from the government or a charity near you.
Federal and state government assistance programs in 2024 (including LIHEAP or weatherization) will often pay for a free AC system or the repairs to an air conditioning unit, whether central system or window unit. Low income families may be given a grant as part of this program.
Another option will be a charity or non-profit, which may pass out free fans to cool a home or apartment and/or small to mid size air conditioners to the vulnerable including seniors or the disabled, or people who are in a crisis, including for medical or health needs. There will also often be a free, refurbished or new window AC unit from furniture banks or organizations such as Saint Vincent, Salvation Army or Volunteers of America .The availability of this service will depend on the funding levels or what has been donated when it comes to applying for help to a charity organization.
Charities that may provide free AC units or fans near you
Salvation Army thrift stores or Family Service Programs may also distribute a free window mounted air conditioner. Normally, these will be sold at a reduced price in the community. They will also be gently used systems as they are coming from a thrift store. However a local Salvation Army center may make exceptions in some cases and they may give away free air conditioners to the needy. This will vary by location.
Some of the centers near you may provide them for free to a low income family when there is a medical emergency. Therefore a Salvation Army Family Service center may give a window type air conditioner to a senior citizen or elderly member of the community. Or a single mother with a sick child at home may qualify for a cheap or free AC system. They are often the most at risk during the warm summer months. There are even instances most years of low income elderly or young people passing away due to overheating during a summer heat wave.
A air conditioner unit can help eliminate that risk. Note these will normally be small units that can be mounted in a bedroom window or another defined portion of the home. By no means which every local thrift store or center have them. Some may just have fans, but usually some for of assistance is available. But they can be an option, and find help from Salvation Army.
Even after receiving an air conditioner or fan, many low income families need help paying the electric bills to keep it running during the summer. It does not help anyone if they have a system to keep their home or apartment cool but then just get a disconnection notice from their power company. So when applying to the community action agency (or other charity such as the Salvation Army) also inquire into financial aid at the same time.
There are also some state wide resources that help families with an income near poverty levels pay their cooling bills. One of them is LIHEAP, and this is noted above. But there are several other agencies that focus on meeting this demand. Everyone from the disabled to low income families may be given a grant to pay for an AC unit. Locate cooling and air conditioning bill assistance programs.
Other charities as well as churches that may be near you also operate summer cooling programs. Some offer financial aid, some loan out or giveaway window fans to low income seniors or the sick, others may pass out air conditioners. In almost all cases what is provided is done at no cost to the applicant. Or they may have grants available that can be used to repair AC units. However some of the charities may ask for small donations to help offset the program costs.
The application period for any summer assistance programs from the government in 2024 will usually start in May and run through June or July. However when it comes to a free air conditioner, those are always in short supply and given on a first come and served basis. Anyone in need of staying cool or that is facing an emergency or health risk needs to apply early. Find a listing of these charities that help with paying bills.
Free air conditioner in 2024 or grants from the government
There are several places to turn to for applications to free AC units or more information. These tend to be more seasonal in nature, with free government air conditioners, or vouchers to pay for one, provided during the late Spring or summer months.
- The first will be a local community action agency near you, which process applications for LIHEAP as well as other low-income electric bill assistance in most states. Many of these non-profits give away free government air conditions in 2024. Get financial help from a community action agency.
- LIHEAP provides free units or repairs to an AC. This is the primary United State Department of Energy (DOE) program which pays for the free air conditioner programs. It will not only provide a new one to households that qualify, but it may even help repair an existing AC unit or the case managers can refer clients to cheap air conditioner programs near them. Apply for LIHEAP near you.
- Or social services may have applications. TANF cash assistance can pay for basic needs, including an air conditioner units, window or box fan and similar needs. Apply for cash assistance from the government.
Whether it is available in a certain community or not will depend on the rules and regulations for that particular state. It will also depend on how much money has been allocated to LIHEAP for the fiscal year, and this amount is set by Congress each year. While the terms may change over time, currently about over 40 states offer free air conditioning systems (or repairs) to very low income families. They even include some of the warmest and largest states, such as Texas, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, SC, Georgia and Florida among others.
LIHEAP may not only give the family (in particular senior citizen or homes with small children) an air conditioner, it can also help repair a broken one. In fact, if the home already has a window or central AC unit that is not working, most states will require it to be fixed first. Only after that has been attempted will a new AC unit be given.
The local programs for free air conditioners include the following. However, as noted above, other local programs exist too.
Atlanta GA area
Cincinnati OH area
Delaware
Kansas City MO area
Las Vegas
Louisville
New York State
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Raleigh NC area
Tennessee
Texas
Most states also have regulations that protect the vulnerable from having their electricity shut off during a heat wave. Oftentimes if the temperature in the states goes above a certain number of degrees, the utility company can't turn off the electric service for someone that is sick, disabled, or above a certain age limit. This will allow the household to keep their power on so they can continue to run their air conditioner. There are numerous laws to prevent utility disconnections from taking place during the year.
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