Nominations sought for families in need of a heater
He’s not Santa Claus, but he will bring warmth and joy to homes this holiday season.
Bob McAllister, owner of Comfort Now Heating and Cooling Solutions, is accepting nominations for families in need of a new heater.
“As we have done for the past seven years, Comfort Now is giving away a new Carrier gas furnace to a homeowner in need in Atlantic or Cape May counties,” he said.
People can nominate themselves or someone else who has a legitimate need at iwantcomfortnow.com or on the business’ Facebook page. All entries must be made online by Sunday, Dec. 12.
McAllister said he lives by that mantra made famous in a quote by former president Ronald Reagan that “we can’t help everyone but everyone can help someone.”
“Over seven years, we have heard all sorts of stories, seen some pretty crazy things,” McAllister said. “We have always chosen somebody based on what they have, what their problems are and what’s going on.”
He said there is a cap on the project of $5,000 because some people want to convert fuel sources or add an air conditioner “but that’s out of pocket.” He said some people even make money, noting two heaters he installed last year came with a $650 rebate from the state.
“We all live through the same things every day and there are people out there really struggling,” he said. “We just try to help, to soften it a little.”
After the nomination deadline, McAllister and his staff pick five of the most deserving nominees and post their stories on the website and Facebook page for public input.
“Christmas week we go out and award a heater and with some luck the heat is on for the holidays,” he said. “We show up with everything in hand and do it that day.”
McAllister said Comfort Now has installed 12 new heaters and repaired two since the program began, about evenly split between the two counties, and that last year was a “Christmas miracle.”
As he was getting ready to award the heater, a woman from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan somehow saw the information on social media and called to donate $5,000.
“We put in five heaters last year because of that donation,” he said, noting it gave him goosebumps.
“We were so thrilled to be able to do that,” he said.
Last year’s winner was a man whose daughter had recently died of COVID-19 and he had no heat in the house, McAllister said, noting after installing that heater he was able to go to four more homes and spread the good cheer.
“We went to the other four and told them ‘it’s a Christmas miracle this year and you get one too,’” he said. “We got the heat back on for four families.”
He said the average life expectancy for the heater is 15 years, so they all should be set through 2035.
“Everybody has the ability to help out,” he said.
Larry Stiteler, owner of East Coast Roofing and Siding based in Mays Landing, clearly agrees.
Stiteler just awarded a new roof to two homes. Now in its 14th year, East Coast has now donated a roof to 17 homes since it started giving away two in 2019.
Brandon Panter, marketing manager, said nominations are closed for this year and they now are in the process of choosing the best candidates and will go out to the homes the week of Dec. 6.
“We base it off the story, the roof condition, and we will find the most qualifying two,” Panter said.
He said they work hard to make it a surprise, setting it all up with a third party if possible. He noted last year local first responders showed up and that Chick-fil-A gets involved.
“We like to give back to the community,” Panter said. “One of our focuses here at East Coast, ever since Larry founded the company in 1979, is giving back.”
He said last year they targeted first responders and active/retired military members but that this year they opened it up to anybody.
“We didn’t want to cut anyone off who was really in need,” he said.
Panter said the free roof is just one of the things they like to do. The company also donated 1,000 pounds of turkey to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Southern Branch, and participates in other events throughout the year.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff