DENVER  A Denver nonprofit is distributing free portable air conditioning units and air purifiers to families in heat-vulnerable neighborhoods, funded by two $50,000 grants from Denver's Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency.Focus Points Family Resource Center serves the Globeville-Elyria-Swansea area of Northeast Denver. It is using the grants to provide cooling and air quality equipment to households with children or adults 65 and older. Denver nonprofit gives free AC units to heat-vulnerable families Denver nonprofit distributes free AC units and air purifiers to heat-vulnerable families"AC units are essential for our community right now," said Mayra Avia, associate director of strategic initiatives at Focus Points. "We had multiple families call us, especially our older adults, who were saying they've been hospitalized because of the heat wave, suffering from either heat stroke or heat poisoning. With the first grant, Focus Points purchased 81 portable AC units now being distributed to qualifying families. With the second, the organization bought nearly 300 air purifiers a critical need in a neighborhood surrounded by industrial infrastructure."We're in an industrial area where there's a lot of air pollution through our highways and other infrastructures," Avia said.Teronica Williams, a resident of the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood and single mother of three, is among those receiving equipment today. She said the summer heat has caught her off guard since moving to Denver."Its been a surprise because Denver is always known for snow, and cold weather. Im realizing it's not so much snow anymore with the global warming changes and everything. But it's been extremely hot, Williams said.Williams said her townhome's upper level stays uncomfortably warm, and her two daughters don't have ceiling fans. The portable AC unit will go directly to that second floor.She also said air quality is a growing concern for her family."When it's hot, should I raise my window up to allow air come in? Because we're breathing in all these toxins, and what are we actually breathing in? So yes, this will definitely help my family," Williams said.The grants are part of Denver's Cool Homes program, funded through the city's Climate Protection Fund a voter-approved $50 million-per-year fund focused on clean energy and climate resilience. Earlier this year, Denver's Office of Climate Action provided up to $50,000 to organizations to purchase, distribute, and install cooling equipment in heat-vulnerable neighborhoods. Across two summers, awarded organizations have distributed 450 portable AC units citywide.Focus Points recruited participants through its newsletter, social media, farmers market, and walk-in appointments. The organization also contracted an installer to help set up the units in homes and negotiated discounts with manufacturers on both the AC units and air purifiers."It feels good because it's aligned to our mission, our values, and it just we're doing what we say we're doing, which is supporting our community through the diverse needs that they have," Avia said.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. ...read more read less