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For over 33 years, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Thibodean lived in an aging mobile home in Maine. They had no water or sewer hookup. They used an old potty chair from one of Mrs. Thibodean’s past operations and plastic bags to dispose of the waste. They relied on the help of a friendly neighbor for their water. “It was like camping out in our own backyard,” said Mrs. Thibodean. But, as the couple grew older, now in their 60’s, they were tired of being cold. It was so cold that Lawrence would sit on his recliner with his coat and hat on with an old army blanket covering him. It was time for a real home. They submitted their name to Maine State Health who was offering an Energy Star Mortgage Program. The program helps families who qualify find and secure mortgage loans to build energy efficient homes. After a few months, they found out they had been accepted and they began the process of securing the loan. “It was a lot of hurry up and wait and the process wasn’t always easy”, explained Mrs. Thibodean. “But looking back now I am thankful we did it.” With their first ever mortgage, the couple built a beautiful 2 bedroom home with 2 bathrooms and a spacious kitchen. Now, their monthly energy and fuel bills are the lowest they’ve seen in over 30 years. “And, we don’t wake each other up every time one of us wakes up in the middle of the night anymore.” The couple is extremely thankful to everyone at Maine State Health who helped them through the process. “Without them, we wouldn’t be here with a new home,” said Mrs. Thibodean.
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