A new program aimed at placing air-conditioning units in the homes of Fredericksburg-area residents in need this summer has taken flight, the University of Mary Washington announced this week.
Dubbed “Eagle Air Support” by organizers, the joint effort of the university and the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank will reuse surplus window air conditioners from UMW’s Fredericksburg campus.
The air-conditioning units were in student rooms in Russell and Marshall halls, residence buildings being demolished to make room for a new theatre and the academic home for the school’s Department of Theatre and Dance. Reusing the appliances was the idea of Fredericksburg author and longtime journalist Jim Hall, who has also taught at UMW.
“As we take down two storied buildings on campus, we’ve looked for ways to salvage usable materials, including the air-conditioning units, as well as items and bricks that preserve memories for alumni,” UMW Assistant Vice President for Facilities and Capital Outlay Brian Gorham said in the announcement of the program. “UMW Facilities Operations staff started with the process of removing and refurbishing these AC units to benefit the community.”
Press the Issue
For more information about “Eagle Air Support,” contact Dan Maher, president and CEO of the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank, at 540-371-7666 or dmaher@fredfood.org.
The Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank has obtained 50 of the units through the Virginia State Surplus Donation Program. They will be made available at no cost to the food bank’s member pantries for distribution to their clients in the spring and summer.
“Many times, a barrier to adequate food access for those we serve is economic stress or health concerns in another dimension of their lives,” Dan Maher, the food bank’s president and CEO, said in the announcement. “Supporting some of those who need air-conditioning should improve their overall health and well-being.”
Other area nonprofits also will be able to obtain units from the food bank, Maher said. The general public is asked to work through a participating organization to get one.
The appliances are Frigidaire brand, about five years old and are being stored at the food bank’s headquarters.
“We are uniquely positioned as a service organization because we have warehouse space to temporarily store the units until they can be paired with someone in need,” Maher said.
(Editor’s note: This story was adapted from a press release published by the University of Mary Washington. View the full release here.)
