December 13, 2022
ATLANTA – December 12, 2022 – The home may be the heart of the holidays, but for many low-income seniors, it represents a year-round struggle to keep up with needed repairs. This year, the Georgia Natural Gas Foundation is awarding $120,000 to HouseProud Atlanta to support its mission to provide no-cost home repairs to low-income senior, veteran, and disabled homeowners.
“We are delighted to partner once again with HouseProud Atlanta,” said Mike Braswell, president and CEO of Georgia Natural Gas and GNG Foundation Board member. “Our support of community partners like HouseProud will increase their capacity to continue their vital work supporting Atlanta’s most vulnerable seniors.”
“We are grateful for the support of partners like the Georgia Natural Gas Foundation,” says Lisa Flowers, director of HouseProud Atlanta. “We serve neighborhoods that are home to primarily African American seniors who have lived there for generations. Many residents who were once the foundation of their communities now find themselves in a situation where they can’t afford the neighborhood anymore.”
HouseProud Atlanta helps to protect low-income minority seniors against what housing advocates term as ‘equity theft’ – where predatory investors use high pressure marketing practices such as constant calls, texts and letters asking to buy their properties.
“In Atlanta, homes values are going up and some investors will offer seniors below market value,” adds Flowers. “For a lot of seniors, most of their wealth is invested in their home. We want to make sure that we help them protect that equity. That way, predatory buyers are less likely to target them. But if they do decide to sell then we know they will get top dollar for it.”
HouseProud Atlanta collaborates with local community groups to identify the seniors, veterans and disabled people who can benefit most by repairs designed to make their homes livable, so they can remain in them longer. Then staff works closely with highly qualified, licensed and insured contractors to perform repairs.
These grants are part of GNG’s parent company, Southern Company Gas, its Foundation, and its entire family of businesses. Every year, we give millions of dollars in grants to organizations that promote our values and passionately work to improve the lives of the communities we serve.
About HouseProud Atlanta
HouseProud Atlanta, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides no-cost home repairs to low-income senior, veteran, and disabled homeowners to keep them warm, safe, and dry. For more information, visit houseproudatlanta.org.
About the Georgia Natural Gas Foundation
The Georgia Natural Gas Foundation is a subsidiary of the Southern Company Gas Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, committed to supporting those who are transforming and improving the lives of communities throughout Georgia.
About Southern Company Gas
Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.3 million natural gas customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states with more than 600,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other businesses include investments in interstate pipelines and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.
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Media Contact: Pete Symons -- m: 470.630.3093 | psymons@southernco.com