WEST PLAINS, Mo. – The city of West Plains has proclaimed October 30 as Weatherization Day.
Mayor Mike Topliff, pictured right, presented the proclamation to Ozark Action, Inc. (OAI) Housing Division Director Ed Button on Wednesday, October 27.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed a similar proclamation for the state earlier this month.
Each year, communities across the country mark October 30 as National Weatherization Day to highlight the impact of the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which helps low-income residents save energy – and money on their monthly utilities – by increasing the energy efficiency of their home through minor home repairs, improved insulation, and heating system repairs. State and local weatherization agencies typically plan community events each year to showcase Weatherization Day. A local event has been postponed for the second year in a row due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Weatherization saves, on average, $370 per house in heating and cooling costs annually at current prices. From July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, the OAI weatherization program weatherized a total of 75 homes in the region.
To qualify for weatherization through Ozark Action, people must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, or $34,840 for a household of two and $53,000 for a household of four.
Ozark Action, Inc. is a non-profit Community Action Agency serving the counties of Douglas, Howell, Oregon, Ozark, Texas, and Wright in South-Central Missouri. It was founded in 1965. The mission of OAI is to coordinate and provide services for people with needs so that they can improve their quality of life. Several programs that help low-income residents are housed under the OAI umbrella, including the Community Services department, which helps with homeless outreach, utility assistance for those in need, and the local Salvation Army; area Head Start programs, which provide educational opportunities to area children; the area Workforce office, which offers services such as job placement, training, workshops, and other career-related services; the area Weatherization program; and the area Housing Choice Voucher program (HCV), formerly known as the Section 8 program.
People seeking to fill out an application for housing or weatherization assistance, or one of the other many programs offered at Ozark Action, will need to make an appointment by calling Ozark Action at 417-256-6147.
For more information on Ozark Action and their services visit www.oaiwp.org.
For a Complete Look at All the Latest News Click Link Below