With energy costs rising, Mayor Hannah McKinney and Commissioner Mary Balkema have organized an effort to help local low-income and fixed-income homeowners to reduce heating bills of some local homeowners.

Kalamazoo residents may take their old newspapers to a trailer at 2606 Miller Road. Applegate Insulation will make insulation and give it to the Home Builders Association, which will identify contractors to install it in homes identified by the Northside Association for Community Development.

Only clean, dry newspaper is acceptable; no other paper products can be used. It can be placed in paper bags or tied together with string.

Anyone can bring recycled newspaper there and tell the person at the trailer that the paper is for the "Recycling for Warmth" project.

Each semi trailer will provide enough insulation for six to eight homes. Applegate will also leave trailers at other sites if we collect enough newspaper to make it worthwhile for them.

Some of the homes will need more than insulation. Organizers have begun contacting businesses and churches to tie an "Adopt-a-House" program into the insulating program. Members of the Calvary Bible Church have already worked with a family on the north side, providing new windows and other aid to help this family with high heating costs. Two companies have agreed to help finance home repairs in future homes. The Kalamazoo Jaycees are identifying other organizations that might help by collecting newspapers. The Jaycees are interested in expanding this program into warm-weather home improvement activities for low-income homeowners that they are tentatively calling "Adopt-a-Neighborhood."

More churches, service clubs, and businesses are needed to donate money and materials to this project. To learn more, call Mattie Jordan-Woods at 269-344-5490.