The Cousinz Festival Partners With Dominion In A “Family Affair”

Special to the Guide

NORFOLK

Until recently, the Staten family spent their summers without central air conditioning.

When the latest heat wave brought near 100-degree temperatures to Hampton Roads, the Norfolk family used a window air conditioning unit and fans to keep their home cool, said Mary Staten.

Staten, who has lived in the home with her husband Harry for nearly 20 years, said the central unit stopped working properly years ago.

Now, they have a new system, thanks to a special partnership between Dominion Energy and the Cousinz Festival.

The annual music event is organized by rappers Pusha T and Fam-Lay, who got their musical start in Hampton Roads, as well as Antonio Dowe. They gathered at the Staten’s home during the renovation to provide festival tickets and connect with the community.

“It seems almost unreal,” said Harry Staten. “It’s a blessing.”

For the second year, the music artists and Dominion Energy have joined efforts to help families in need with energy efficient upgrades.

Pusha T said the home renovation aligns with the organizers’ desire to make a positive impact.

“The community – pulling our resources together and partnering up – that’s what Cousinz is about. It’s about family,” Pusha T said.

And they plan to continue.

“We’re going to do this year after year,” Pusha T said. “As long as people need some help, we’re here to help.”

According to a 2024 “Summer in the City” article by the U.S. Department of Energy, rising temperatures put stress on the body.

“Our bodies keep us cool through sweating.”

However, the higher the temperature and humidity, the less effective sweating is,” the report said.

 Heat waves can be dangerous and deadly.

 “While these heat waves are dangerous to everyone, certain groups of people are more at risk than others,” the report said. “People who live in cities are particularly vulnerable to heat stress. More than half of the world’s population and 83 percent of the United States’ population lives in urban areas. Concrete buildings and paved areas in cities soak up heat during the day. The materials release the heat at night.”

The Statens, who are both retired, reached out to Dominion Energy after learning about the EnergyShare program from a friend.

EnergyShare, which began in 1982, is Dominion Energy’s year-round energy assistance program, helping customers in need with bill pay assistance, energy efficiency upgrades as well as outreach and education.

During the summer, residents in need can receive up to $300 of energy bill payment assistance and double that in the winter.

The program has grown over time, said Nikki Taylor, EnergyShare program manager.

“We have expanded over the years to be year-round as well as adding the weatherization component,” she said.

The Statens join the 195,800 households served by the EnergyShare program over the last decade.  More than 12,200 homes have been weatherized with energy efficient upgrades, and the program has hosted 2,600 outreach events.

Along with new air conditioning system, the Statens received other energy efficiency measures in the home, including floor and attic insulation, duct work, and crawlspace upgrades as well as energy efficient lighting.

Dominion Energy volunteers – consisting of line workers, operations crew members, and other staff – assisted with cleanup of the flower bed, junk removal in the back yard, and repairing a broken fence.

Helping families like the Statens is a key goal of the EnergyShare program as well as the Cousinz Festival.

“Cousinz is all about family and all about community. That’s why we named the festival Cousinz,” said organizer Antonio Dowe.

Fam-Lay added: “This is a very important part and component of what we wanted to create with the festival,” he said. “This is just as big as the acts and everything else that we put together.”

For more info on the Cousinz Festival, go to: https://www.cousinzfestival.com/

To learn more about EnergyShare, go to: https://www.dominionenergy.com/energyshare