With North Texas anticipating a hotter-than-average summer, TXU Energy is collaborating with The Senior Source to provide crucial relief to older adults through its "Beat the Heat" initiative. The program will distribute hundreds of window air conditioning units and box fans to help vulnerable seniors in Dallas County stay cool.
Throughout June and July, The Senior Source and TXU Energy plan to distribute 600 new window air conditioning units and 200 box fans to seniors in Dallas County who lack reliable home air conditioning. This effort comes as Texas experienced at least 334 heat-related deaths in 2023, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Tens of thousands of Dallas seniors live on fixed incomes of $1,000 or less, making significant home purchases like AC units financially out of reach.
"Since 2008, we’ve partnered with The Senior Source for Beat the Heat and have been able to provide more than 2,200 window air conditioning units to Dallas-area seniors who do not have reliable access to air conditioning in their homes,” said Kim Campbell, Senior Manager Customer Advocacy for Vistra, TXU Energy’s parent company. “Having access to cool air in your home during the hot summer months in Texas should not be a luxury and we are grateful for The Senior Source and our community partners who enable us to continue to provide this vital relief for our neighbors.”
Volunteers from The Senior Source, TXU Energy, and their partners will distribute the A/C units and fans at three upcoming events, each accompanied by a Senior Expo sponsored by The Tyler Street Foundation, offering connections to essential services for older adults. United Texas Bank and Wellcare are also major event sponsors.
Distribution Locations and Dates:
- Desoto: Saturday, June 28, from 9-11 a.m. at Community Missionary Baptist Church (115 W. Belt Line Road, Desoto 75115)
- Irving: Saturday, July 12, from 8-10 a.m. at Irving Cares (440 S Nursery Road, Ste. 101, Irving 75060)
- Dallas: Wednesday, July 23, 8-10 a.m. at Tyler Street Church (927 W 10th Street, Dallas 75208)
Stacey Malcolmson, President and CEO of The Senior Source, highlighted the increased vulnerability of older adults to heat: “Our body's ability to respond to heat decreases with age. In Dallas, over the past decade we have averaged more than 100 days over 90 degrees during the summer, and for a senior who does not have a way to effectively cool their home, these temperatures represent a serious risk. We must look out for our neighbors, especially ones who are older and more susceptible to be impacted by extreme heat.”
To be eligible for an A/C unit or box fan, individuals must reside in Dallas County, be at least 60 years old, lack a reliable source of cool air in their home, and agree to attend the Beat the Heat Senior Expo at their chosen pick-up location.
Pre-registration is required. Qualifying members of the public can register for a window air conditioning unit or box fan by filling out the form here (English) or here (Spanish).
Donations for Beat the Heat can be made online at: theseniorsource.org/special-events/beat-the-heat.
About The Senior Source
Since 1961, The Senior Source’s mission has been to enhance the quality of life for older adults in greater Dallas. This nonprofit agency serves as the go-to resource for everything older adults may need including financial guidance, advice on long-term care facilities, or ways to connect with others through volunteerism. The agency assists more than 25,000 seniors and their families with the services, programs, and resources they need to be happy and secure in their later years. Learn more at theseniorsource.org.
