Many senior citizens need help to beat the heat. How to donate fans, air conditioners

Tony Judnich, Northwest Florida Daily News
·1 min read

FORT WALTON BEACH — With high temperatures here to stay for many weeks, the nonprofit Elder Services of Okaloosa County is asking the community to donate fans and window air conditioners for local senior citizens.

“With the current inflation, most seniors cannot afford to cool their whole house,” Elder Services Executive Director Kim Fraley said. “We need to raise awareness and get the support of the community to care for our frail, at-risk elder and/or handicapped members.”

In this photo from 2021, Kim Fraley, left, who is the executive director of Elder Services of Okaloosa County, is joined by Elder Services’ staffers and employees of FNBT Bank of Fort Walton Beach. As it did in 2021, the bank donated $500 to the agency this year to use for the purchase of window air conditioners for senior citizens.
In this photo from 2021, Kim Fraley, left, who is the executive director of Elder Services of Okaloosa County, is joined by Elder Services’ staffers and employees of FNBT Bank of Fort Walton Beach. As it did in 2021, the bank donated $500 to the agency this year to use for the purchase of window air conditioners for senior citizens.

Elder Services "will accept as many donations as we can get," said Fraley, who added that any fans or air conditioners that are not distributed this year will be saved for next year.

Heating up: Feels like 108 degrees: Heat advisory issued for Northwest Florida

‘People are struggling’: Nonprofits see increase in NWFL residents needing help with basic living expenses

Elder Services currently helps a total of 276 seniors via programs such as home health care assistance and Meals on Wheels.

In 2019, the agency’s request to the community to help seniors beat the heat resulted in donations of more than 100 fans and about a dozen window air conditioners.

As it did in 2021, FNBT Bank in Fort Walton Beach donated $500 to Elder Services this year to use for the purchase of window air conditioners.

Other donors who want to help can drop off fans and/or window air conditioners from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays at the Elder Services office at 207 Hospital Drive in Fort Walton Beach.

For more information or for pickup details, call 850-833-9165.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Help senior citizens: Okaloosa nonprofit seeks air conditioner donations