Diane and Brian Johnsen of Beaverton received a new heating and cooling system worth about $16,000 at no cost, thanks to a national charitable program and a local contractor who donated the labor.
The retired couple had been struggling to keep up financially, Good News Network reported. Diane, already at retirement age, was working three jobs to help cover the mortgage. Brian was recovering from a serious back injury and surgery. When their existing system broke down beyond repair, replacing it was out of reach.
The Johnsens applied for Lennox's Feel the Love program, a community initiative that provides free heating and cooling systems to homeowners facing hardship. Each year, community members nominate neighbors in need. Lennox donates the equipment, and local dealers handle installation.
Aviator Heating & Cooling, a Beaverton-based contractor, volunteered the labor and completed the job during the second week of October, the program's annual installation window. The package included a new furnace, air conditioning system and thermostat.
"Are you kidding? We were ecstatic," Brian Johnsen said in a KOIN 6 News interview, as reported by Good News Network.
Diane Johnsen said the new system brought peace of mind heading into their retirement years.
Aviator said in a Facebook post that the couple's mounting bills had made a replacement impossible on their own. The company called the project "something so meaningful."
The Feel the Love program has provided free systems to more than 3,100 families nationwide since 2009, according to Lennox's program page. Nominations open May 1 and close Aug. 31, though Lennox accepts them year-round. Residents who know a neighbor in need can submit a nomination at the same page.
Upcoming in Beaverton:
- By Oct. 30: Beaverton School District coat drive seeks 200 winter coats. Details here.
- Oct. 14: Seven horror authors appeared at Beaverton City Library for Halloween-themed readings. More info.
