LAGRANGE, GA / ACCESS Newswire / May 4, 2026 / Groundswell is expanding access to energy affordability in LaGrange, Georgia, with support from Google, as part of a broader announcement tied to Google's new data center investment in the community.
As part of the announcement, Google is investing $1 million to support Groundswell's SOUL (Save On Utilities Long-term) program, bringing critical no-cost home repairs and energy efficiency upgrades to local families. The investment is expected to support at least 50 income-qualified households, helping lower energy bills, improve home safety, and preserve long-term homeownership.
"Google's $1 million contribution will support critical home repairs and energy efficiency upgrades for at least 50 LaGrange families, providing long-term energy bill relief and preserving home ownership," said Michelle Moore, CEO of Groundswell. "We appreciate Google's commitment to being a good neighbor, and we're honored to work alongside them to build a more affordable energy future for LaGrange."
Since January 2025, residential electricity bills in the U.S. have climbed more than 13 percent, rising faster than inflation. Groundswell's SOUL program tackles the affordability crisis by targeting a major cause of disproportionately high energy bills for hardworking families: inefficient, aging homes. This effort takes a comprehensive approach to energy affordability, addressing both efficiency upgrades and the underlying home repairs that often make those upgrades possible. This latest investment builds on the program's proven record of lowering energy costs for families who need these savings most.
Groundswell has been serving residents with low or moderate incomes with home repairs and energy efficiency since 2020. To date, SOUL has completed 68 homes in LaGrange and more than 160 overall, delivering an average 34% improvement in energy efficiency. More than 53% of enrolled homes have needed essential health and safety repairs like roofing, HVAC, asbestos abatement, or structural work before efficiency upgrades can be completed.
Local leaders also emphasized the broader impact of the support. Google's investment in LaGrange includes not only infrastructure development, but also direct community benefits designed to improve affordability, enhance quality of life, and strengthen local systems.
Learn more about the SOUL program or apply: https://lagrangesoul.org/
Media Coverage Highlights
Local coverage underscores the scale of Google's investment, its community impact, and Groundswell's role in the project.
Atlanta News First: Google announces new data center in LaGrange
Yahoo! Finance: Google announces plans for new data center in LaGrange
Atlanta Business Journal: Google confirms it is developing a data center in LaGrange
WTVM: Google announces new data center in LaGrange
11Alive: Google announces plans for new data center in LaGrange
Atlanta Latinos: Google announces plans for new data center in LaGrange
Now Georgia: Google announces new data center in LaGrange
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About Groundswell
Groundswell builds community power to strengthen local resilience for everyone and cut electricity bills in half for our neighbors who need savings the most. We're on track to deliver more than $29 million in annual energy savings to 36,000 households and deploy more than 40 resilience hub projects across 12 states by 2030.
Contact:
Kenrick Escalanti
Groundswell
kenrick.escalanti@groundswell.org
SOURCE: Groundswell
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/utilities/icymi-groundswell-to-deliver-energy-savings-and-home-repairs-for-lagrange-families-with-s-1163479
