Good Works: Heating and cooling low-income Houstonians

05:34 PM CST on Tuesday, March 22, 2005

By Jerome Gray / 11 News

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Imagine going through a Houston summer without air conditioning or trying to heat your home with your oven.

KHOU

Victor Washington's company gives away dozens of window units and furnaces every year.

Every year Victor Washington's company, Washington & Sons Air Conditioning and Heating, gives away dozens of window units and installs several furnaces, all free of charge.

When Washington knocks at the door, people in this community know help has arrived.

"This is the new furnace we actually installed," Washington explained at the home of someone he helped. "The previous one that we pulled out of here was extremely dangerous."

For the past seven years, Washington has been providing heating and cooling services to people who can't afford to pay for them.

"I bought back when we bought this house, back in '65. They came up and inspected it. They red-tagged it and told me 'don't turn it on anymore', so I didn't turn it on," said homeowner Eartha Rawlins.

"He's a senior citizen on a fixed income. It's just not safe for him going out and buying a space heater," said

Washington.

A nearby child development center had both of its window units stolen last summer. Washington didn't wait for them to call -- he called them and offered his services.

"It was right in the middle of the summer so we were very grateful. The kids were grateful," said Angela Garica with the YMCA Preschool Child Development Center.

"You know, it's not all about the money sometimes. You must realize that you must be able to give back to the community," said Washington.

So we salute Victor Washington for all of his good works.