For almost three years, Susan Terrel lived in a home that never cooled below the high 90s. She relied on fans, water and portable units to get through an unrelenting Arizona summer that persisted year after year, day and night. This week, a nonprofit stepped in to replace her central air system, and her house is now holding steady at 74 degrees even while outside temperatures climb into triple digits.
Terrel described the experience as harrowing. "I cried a lot, screamed at God a lot. I didn't think I was going to make it through it. I really didn't," she said, recounting the months and years spent trying to cope without a functioning system. The measures she used — small fans, periodic use of portable cooling devices and lots of water — provided some relief but did not change the underlying danger of prolonged exposure to extreme indoor heat.
Public health officials and emergency responders note that extreme summer heat poses a persistent risk in Arizona. Heat is responsible for hundreds of deaths in the state each year, and roughly one‑third of those fatalities occur indoors, in homes where air conditioning is not working. For older adults, people with chronic health conditions, low‑income households and anyone without financial resources to repair or replace a broken unit, a failed air conditioner can quickly become a life‑threatening problem rather than a matter of comfort.
Relief for Terrel came from AllThrive 365, a nonprofit that provides free repairs and replacements for residential air‑conditioning systems. Technicians from the organization inspected her unit, replaced components and installed a new system designed to maintain safe indoor conditions throughout the heat season. After the work was completed, Terrel reported immediate changes: the interior of her home is now a consistent 74 degrees when outdoor temperatures are in the triple digits, and her electric bill has gone down compared with the costs she faced while relying heavily on portable devices.
A technician opens and inspects the front panel and filter of an air‑conditioning unit — the type of repair and replacement work AllThrive 365 provided after an Arizona woman endured nearly three years with indoor temperatures in the high 90s.
Nonprofit representatives stressed the practical benefits of restoring central air beyond comfort. Portable fans and plug‑in cooling devices can raise electricity consumption without substantially lowering indoor temperatures or addressing medical risks associated with heat. A properly installed and maintained central system can stabilize indoor conditions, reduce stress during heat waves and help families avoid hard choices about whether to run costly temporary devices or skip cooling altogether to save on monthly bills.
Katie Martin of AllThrive 365 said the organization sees frequent cases where households cannot afford repairs or full replacements, and that stepping in is necessary to protect people during Arizona's extreme summers. "It's so hot in Arizona. We know there are people that cannot afford to repair or replace their air‑conditioning systems. And we have to be here to help them. We have to step in and step up, help those in need in our communities," she said.
The work of AllThrive 365 receives support from the Salt River Project, which has increased its heat‑relief funding in recent months. The utility has boosted its program support from $500,000 to more than $1 million to expand the reach of free repairs and replacements. Juana Hernandez of the utility said the partnership addresses a range of needs across the community. "We see it every day. It's really hot in Arizona, and our community has a range of needs, and so that's why it's important for us. SRP to partner with organizations like AllThrive 365," she said.
The program is available to residents in multiple counties across the state, including Maricopa, Yuma, Yavapai, Pinal and La Paz. AllThrive 365 and its partners assess applications and prioritize households where the absence of functioning air conditioning presents immediate health risks or where financial hardship prevents timely repairs. For recipients like Terrel, the result is immediate: a cooler, safer home and lower ongoing energy costs. The expanded funding and continued nonprofit work aim to reach more households facing the same situation and to reduce the number of people living for extended periods in dangerously hot indoor conditions.
AllThrive 365 is the new name for the former Foundation for Senior Living, an organization that traces its roots to a nonprofit founded by the Diocese of Phoenix in 1974 and which has expanded in recent years beyond senior services to broader housing and healthy‑homes work.
Salt River Project announced on May 27, 2026 that it would more than double its heat‑resiliency investment, committing roughly $1.3 million this season to local nonprofits that run cooling sites and emergency HVAC programs, and naming AllThrive 365 among the recipients.
SRP also made a targeted contribution to AllThrive 365 in October 2025, providing a $275,000 donation to bolster AllThrive 365’s Healthy Homes/Emergency HVAC Program for free AC repairs and replacements.
AllThrive 365’s Healthy Homes/Energy Efficiency work typically prioritizes income‑eligible households (generally those at or below about 200% of the federal poverty level) and focuses on older adults, people with disabilities and families with young children; the organization lists an energy program inquiry line at 602‑285‑1800 for repair or replacement requests.
Maricopa County has reported preliminary heat‑death figures in recent years that underscore the risk AllThrive seeks to address: about 427 heat‑related deaths in 2025, compared with 608 in 2024 and 645 in 2023.