Making ends meet with the recent addition of two grown Grandchildren to the household has been a struggle for 83 year old Tony Dominguez. “Groceries, gas and now the electric is going up. If it was just me and my wife we could probably manage but with the Grandkids around things get so expensive.”
Mr. Dominguez was drafted to fight in the Korean War. He left the military after his service, working in a bank until his retirement 28 years ago. He is fighting fit, keeping himself moving with daily walks in his neighborhood. He appears happy and laid back, but it’s clear the burden of his electric bills has become increasingly stressful.
“Last year was so hot,” says Mr. Dominguez. “My wife was crying, struggling to cope with the temperatures. We ended up getting a small AC unit installed in one room but it really wasn’t enough.”
Mr. Dominguez says that when he and his wife, Carmen got more AC units to cope with the heat, their electric bill jumped to $300 a month. “I just didn’t know what to do, I couldn’t believe it,” he says.
The Dominguez’s daughter, Pattie Estrada, knew there was a solution in solar. Ms. Estrada discovered GRID Alternatives when she was researching for her own solar system; although she hadn’t been able to qualify, she knew it might be right for her parents with their substantial bills and fixed income. “When my Mom told me her electric bill was over $300.00. I told her it was time to get solar. I remembered GRID from two years ago and I was so happy to find that my parents qualified for the program,” says Ms. Estrada.
The Dominguez’s new solar system is expected to save them over $200 a month. “Getting to the cash register at the grocery store won’t be as scary now,” says Mr. Dominguez. “Truly, every little helps.”