Linda is 78 years old and lives alone in a mobile home in Asheville. MHO visited her to repair her floors and saw that the ductwork under her home was nearly destroyed. Because of the damage, Linda had not been able to use her furnace and had no safe heat for the past five years. She closed off one room, hung blankets in the doorways to block out the cold air, and used a small space heater to stay warm. Thanks to your donations, MHO repaired her floors and installed a mini-split heat pump that requires no ductwork. For the first time in five years, Linda will be warm during the cold months and can live in a safe home.

Janis is 63, lives alone in a home in Arden and suffers from arthritis. Her original gas furnace from 1974 had a cracked heat exchanger and was condemned because it was leaking carbon monoxide. Her water heater was also heated with gas that used the same vent, so it was cut off, too. Thanks to your donations, MHO installed a new gas furnace and re-vented the hot water tank so no carbon monoxide would leak into her home. Janis can now feel safe and warm knowing that her new furnace and water heater would cause no further danger to her.

On cold winter mornings, many families, vulnerable seniors, and low-income families in our community are faced with choosing between heating their homes or purchasing food or medicine. Your donation can make a difference between a family suffering from the cold or being safe and warm this winter. No families who qualify for help from MHO are turned away. But they often wait for funding to become available before we can address their furnace repair or replacement needs. MHO has more requests than usual this year and we need your help!

Can you help us meet our $50,000 goal to help 25 families stay warm this winter?

The Family-to-Family Furnace Fund is one of two major initiatives of the Mountain Housing Opportunities Emergency Home Repair program.  Contributions to the Family-to-Family Furnace Fund help to cover the costs of repairing or replacing furnaces for Buncombe County homeowners who have low or very low income and special needs, or single parents and families with young children.

The Family-To-Family Furnace Fund does not provide heating fuel assistance. There are other great organizations in the community that provide this service and help homeowners who need fuel assistance. MHO primarily focuses on providing homeowners with a safe, efficient heat source by either repairing the furnace or replacing it if that’s more cost-effective.

To qualify, the total gross household income must be 50% or less of Buncombe County median income, and they must own the home they live in.

If you or someone you know needs an application to see if you qualify to receive assistance from the Family-To-Family Furnace Fund, please call 828-254-4030 and one will be mailed to you immediately.