HEAL Story: Shirley Stokes and UAMS
The Home Energy Affordability Loan (HEAL) program recently partnered with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to pilot the HEAL Program. As an employee of UAMS and beneficiary of the new pilot program, Shirley Stokes received a free indoor air quality assessment, during which high levels of carbon monoxide were detected around her malfunctioning stove. Due to the health and safety concerns associated with such a leak, the HEAL team instantly “red-tagged” the appliance and took it out of service. Later – and based on recommendations made in Mrs. Stokes’ Personal Energy Plan – a HEAL-approved contractor installed a new stove, and HEAL came back with monitoring equipment to ensure that the new appliance was free of carbon monoxide leakage. It is also estimated that the Stokes family will save $343 annually on their utility bills and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 5,732 pounds annually, all at a net cost of $710 after $984 in utility rebates were applied. Shirley Stokes has been a dedicated UAMS employee for the last 13 years. “I felt honored that my company thought that much of me, my surroundings, and my home life,” she said. “I feel very pleased with that.”