For lifelong Lanett resident Cynthia Lloyd, it all began with a leak in her roof.
Over time, multiple promises from neighbors and contractors to repair that leak fell through, leading to a larger leak and escalating concerns within her home. Just when she was on the verge of giving up, she discovered Groundswell’s Save On Utilities Long-term (SOUL) program through a Facebook post by the Mayor of Lanett and a city council member from the neighboring City of West Point. The SOUL program offers safety and energy efficiency improvements that can reduce residents’ electricity bills by 30 percent or more, thereby strengthening family finances and the local community. Lloyd applied for the program, and repairs to her roof are expected to begin next week.
“This program let me know that God doesn’t give up on us,” Lloyd stated. “Sometimes we’ll give up and feel like things aren’t going to happen because of finances, but the Lord has a plan.”
Having spent most of her life caring for others, Lloyd has always believed in the power of prayer. Her home has served as a gathering place for family, friends, and neighbors. However, increasing repair issues forced the retired hospice nurse to cancel weekly family dinners and question whether she could continue living in the home where she raised her children and grandchildren. The SOUL program changed that for her, and now she hopes her neighbors can also benefit from it.
Having spent most of her life caring for others, Lloyd has always believed in the power of prayer. Her home has served as a gathering place for family, friends, and neighbors. However, increasing repair issues forced the retired hospice nurse to cancel weekly family dinners and question whether she could continue living in the home where she raised her children and grandchildren. The SOUL program changed that for her, and now she hopes her neighbors can also benefit from it.
“I think it will help the community as a whole,” Lloyd said. “It will build the community up. It will make it look nice and keep it from going down.”
Lloyd’s home is the 100th home served by the program and the first in Alabama. Groundswell’s SOUL program has served 99 households across five municipalities in Georgia, representing $1,045,000 in home repairs and energy efficiency improvements. These include 64 homes in LaGrange, 20 in West Point, 5 each in Hogansville and Pine Mountain, and 4 in Franklin. The repairs are all completed by local contractors, supporting local workforce development and interpersonal relationships within the communities served by the program.
“As a general contractor with deep ties to this area, we’ve been happy to partner with Groundswell to improve our local communities, particularly housing with seniors who otherwise can’t afford many necessary repairs,” said Will Scarborough, General Manager at Carlisle Service Company. “Unfortunately, rising costs keep many people from being able to maintain their homes, but with Groundswell’s backing, we’ve been able to help many people with health, safety, and efficiency improvements who otherwise might not have been able to stay in their homes.”
The program’s ability to bridge the gap between what older residents need and what they can afford motivated City of Lanett Mayor Jamie Heard to collaborate with Groundswell to implement the SOUL program in Lanett.
“Our community’s seniors worked hard all their lives and are now living on fixed incomes that are not sufficient to keep the homes that they own energy efficient and in good repair,” Heard stated.
Groundswell is currently working with several cities in Alabama to enroll residents in the program and provide necessary repairs that will enhance energy efficiency, improve quality of life, and increase community resilience throughout the region.
“Keep doing the Lord’s work because I feel like this is part of the Lord’s work,” Lloyd said.