“When you’ve been in your home forever, you want to hang on to it,” Bonnie explained. “I feel for those people in my shoes—living only on Social Security, doing everything they can to stay in their homes. SNAP made it possible for me.”
BONNIE – SNAP CLIENT
“IT LIFTED MY SOUL”: HOW BONNIE FOUND COMFORT IN HER 91-YEAR-OLD HOME
Bonnie has been calling her house home since 1971. She and her husband bought the 1934-built home when she was 23. More than 50 years later, she’s still there—now 75 and on her own, doing everything she can to keep it.
“It’s my haven. It’s my security. It’s what I’ve made it,” Bonnie said. “Even after the divorce, through thick and thin, I’ve managed to keep it. I’ve worked two and three jobs, done everything under my power to hang on.”
Over the years, Bonnie has seen her neighborhood change—from what was once a close-knit enclave known as “Little Italy” to a quieter part of north Spokane. What hasn’t changed is her determination to stay. But keeping up with an aging home hasn’t been easy, especially living on a fixed income.
“The electrical needed to be updated. The carpets needed to be pulled out. The plumbing, the old appliances—it was just one thing after another,” she said. “It was very difficult on minimum wage to hang on to this house.”
Bonnie believes she had her air conditioner more than 35 years. Her furnace was nearly 30 years old and unreliable.
“It would go out in the middle of winter. I dreaded when winter would come because I couldn’t stand the thought of the furnace giving up on me. It was usually in the middle of the night.”
With help from SNAP Bonnie found peace of mind and a way to stay in the home she’s loved since 1971.
Bonnie first heard about SNAP from an insert that came with her Avista bill. In the years since, SNAP has helped her cover utility payments and weather financial hardship. Then in June 2025, Bonnie received a new energy-efficient heat pump through SNAP’s Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) replacing both her furnace and aging A/C.
“It’s so efficient. It’s so even. I just sit here and think, ‘Isn’t this so amazing?’ It’s a miracle to me,” she said. “I’m not stressing out about whether or not my furnace is going to work, or where I’m going to get the money to replace it. It’s lifted my soul into a place where I’m more at peace. I’m so humbled.”
The process, she said, was seamless.
“Very nice people. The folks from Comfort Heating and Cooling, the people from SNAP—everyone was sweet and respectful.”
Bonnie still faces challenges. Her home needs updated wiring, plumbing, and other improvements. But the heat pump has made a world of difference. It helped her stay safe, comfortable, and rooted in the place she’s worked so hard to keep.
“When you’ve been in your home forever, you want to hang on,” Bonnie explained. “I feel for those people in my shoes—living only on Social Security, doing everything they can to stay in their homes. SNAP made it possible for me.”
Thanks to generous donors like you, SNAP is helping our neighbors, including Bonnie, stay in the homes they love—with dignity, safety and peace of mind.
We would appreciate your support as we provide opportunities to people in need.