GALVESTON, Texas – A new initiative launched in June in Galveston is offering relief from the sweltering summer heat to some of the island’s most vulnerable residents at no cost.
Project Fat Cat, a pilot program led by the nonprofit Build Galveston and funded by the CenterPoint Energy Foundation, replaces broken or missing window air conditioning units for families, including low-income seniors and people with disabilities
For residents like Timothy Edward, the gift of cool air is life-changing.
“It really means survival,” said Edward, 46, who has lived in Galveston his entire life. “I’m going through a little something with my health and I can’t be in the heat.”
Edward described the island’s summers as brutally hot and increasingly difficult to bear. “One minute it’s cool and breezy, next minute it is hot and humid,” he said.
The project is named in honor of the late Leon Phillips, a local community activist who once ran a business called Fat Cat. Before his passing, Phillips shared the idea for the program with Vision Galveston Executive Director Christine Bryant, inspiring the effort to bring it to life.
“He thought we need to go into the community and help individuals that lack air conditioning and heating in their homes,” said Steven Creitz, project lead for Build Galveston. “I thought this would be a way for me to give back. It’s been very fulfilling.”
Creitz said the program officially launched June 11 and has installed 28 units across 17 homes so far, aiming to reach up to 38 households in this round. The application process is simple, with residents able to apply online or receive paper applications hand-delivered by Creitz.
“So far, all of the residents that applied in the first round received new air conditioning in their homes,” he said. “There were a couple homes where they didn’t have working units at all. This has truly been a life-changing experience for those folks.”
District 1 City Council Member Sharon Lewis praised the program’s dual heating and cooling capability, which is especially important for seniors during winter.
“A lot of people weren’t aware the program existed,” Lewis said. “We go through life, and we just don’t know the situations people are in. I walk into my house and it’s cool, but someone else might walk into a hot house. That’s uncomfortable and it can bring about health issues.”
The need is great. Creitz said more than 60 applications have already been received, though the program is currently limited to residents within Galveston city limits.
Creitz is reviewing applications for Round Two, which is expected to ramp up soon. Each home undergoes a basic assessment to ensure safety and electrical compatibility before installation.
People interested in applying can click here.
Houston residents in need of a new window air conditioning unit can call 211.
