Gulf Breeze, Fla., business owner Michael Esmond donated thousands of dollars to pay the bills of 114 families who were at risk of having their utilities shut off, according to a report from CNN.
According to Gulf Breeze utility supervisor Joanne Oliver, Esmond paid $7,615.40 to cover the expenses of the bills, which were past-due, the news outlet reported. Holiday cards notifying the families that their utility bills have been paid will be mailed this week.
"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, owner of Gulf Breeze Pools and Spas, 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."
The Florida businessman started his giving spree last year, when he spent $4,600 to help out 36 families. This year, many of the households he paid for had bills under $100, but they were unable to make the payments amid the pandemic.
