COLUMBIA — Central Missouri Community Action hosted a window air conditioner exchange program Monday, boasting an increase in air conditioners to 30 distributed this year.
“Last year, we gave away maybe 20 units on the first day,” said Connie Kaprowicz, spokeswoman for Columbia Water and Light. “Thirty units is great for one day.”
According to Kaprowicz, the program has grown more popular in its four years, with Monday’s drive distributing at least 30 of the 100 total units available. The exchange program will continue to run until the remaining units are gone.
“We’ve had all types of people participating today,” said Adam Tipton, community services supervisor for Central Missouri Community Action, located at 400 Wilkes Blvd. “With the elderly, staying cool could be a life-or-death situation.”
Columbia Water and Light views the program as beneficial in a two-fold manner — to cut electric costs for people on fixed incomes and to save energy.
“The city wants to help individuals using older and inefficient units to curb their electric costs,” Tipton said. “If we can help everyone reduce their bills, it’ll help us all save money.”
Anyone who is a Columbia Water and Light electric customer, has an annual income of less than $21,660 and has an inefficient or malfunctioning window air conditioning unit to exchange is eligible to participate.
“Any time you can take care of people on a fixed income, it’s a benefit to the community,” Kaprowicz said.