According to Gulf Breeze Utility, Michael Esmond paid $7,615.40 to cover the expenses of the bills, which were past-due. Holiday cards notified the families that their utility bills had been paid.
Esmond, owner of Gulf Breeze Pools and Spas, told CNN – “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. 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.
The coronavirus pandemic has had damaging effects on the economy, as hundreds of thousands of Americans continue to apply for unemployment.
Congress also has yet to pass a fifth stimulus package to help small businesses that have been forced to shutter.
Esmond says he feels some guilt over knowing that his business did well during the pandemic, while most people have been struggling.
The city of Gulf Breeze has granted residents a grace period of 60 days to pay their bills due to the pandemic, but the families Esmond helped were past the 60-day mark.