WAKE COUNTY, N.C. — Cool for Wake, a program in Wake County, is helping people stay cool on hot days by giving out free air conditioning window units, and local organizations are working to make that happen.

What You Need To Know

  • Cool for Wake offers free AC window units, fans and financial assistance with cooling bills

  • AC window units are available to seniors and children who have documented respiratory medical issues

  • The Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS helps deliver those units

  • The AC units are made possible through donations and an annual grant from the Duke Energy Foundation

A limited number of units are available to seniors and children who have documented medical issues that affect their respiratory system. People who request units must have a written statement from the applicant's physician. People can apply through Wake County Health and Human Services.

Organizations including the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS (RRAR) help deliver the units.

On Friday the association delivered a unit to Charles Hunter, a Raleigh resident whose air conditioning broke earlier that day.

“It’s still cool in there for right now. I keep the blinds closed, and I have some fans going, so it’s comfortable right now, but I’m sure later on and in the coming days with the temperature the way it’s going to be, it’s going to be hot, so that’s really going to help out,” Hunter said.

“I think this is very beneficial for people that run into situations like this or people that don’t have central air, and they’re in need of assistance in getting cooling this time of the year,” Hunter said.“I think this is very beneficial for people that run into situations like this or people that don’t have central air, and they’re in need of assistance in getting cooling this time of the year,” Hunter said.

“No one needs to live in their home in an unsafe way and unhealthy for them,” Heather Thompson, the executive director of the RRAR Realtor Giving Network, said.

“We had a wonderful lady last year named Dorris and she had been in the hospital for quite a while and had come home and her air conditioning was broken,” Thompson said. "We found out about Dorris and then within two days she is back in her home where she feels the comfort of that and is secure there and knows that in her recovery she wanted to be in her home. We were able to make that possible for Dorris.”

RRAR is in its 12th year of this partnership and has delivered over 250 window AC units.

“I think a lot of the stigma behind Realtors is once the sale is done, you never hear from us again and we don’t like that. Want to make sure that we continue to work in our communities and help the people that are not only our clients but the people that are working in and around the neighbors that we are in. We want to make sure everyone knows that they’ve got our support and our help,” Derrick Thornton, a realtor and member of RRAR, said.

The AC units are made possible through donations and an annual grant from the Duke Energy Foundation.​

Cool for Wake also offers free fans to eligible households as well as financial assistance with cooling bills.