12-11-2020, 12:03 PM
A Florida man just paid off the past dues for 114 families at risk of having their utilities shut off
(CNN)A Florida business owner who was once down on his luck is giving back by covering the utility bills of 114 families who were facing disconnection.
Michael Esmond's generosity started last year when he paid the utility bills of 36 households in his community of Gulf Breeze. This year, with both Hurricane Sally and Covid-induced economic turmoil hitting the city, he thought he needed to up the ante.
"This year to me probably is more meaningful that last year with the pandemic and all the people out of work having to stay home," Esmond told CNN.
"Hurricane Sally slammed us pretty good and hurt a lot of people. We still have a lot of the blue roofs here, where they're just covered with tarps."
Esmond donated $7,615.40 to pay for the past-due bills of 114 households, according to Joanne Oliver, the city's utility billing supervisor. Holiday cards notifying the residents will be mailed this week, she says.
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