Loading...

Processing your request

Thank you for your patience.

Skip to main content
Español
Aep Texas
  • My Account
    • Account Summary
    • Bills & Payments
    • Service Requests
      • Service Requests Overview
      • Start, Stop or Transfer Your Service
      • Modify Service
        • Change or Upgrade Your Service
        • Modify Home Service
        • Modify Business Service
      • Meter Reading Schedule
      • Electric Choice
    • Your Energy Usage
    • Account Settings
      • Account Settings Overview
      • Notifications
      • Manage Multiple Accounts
        • View Your Accounts
        • Add Account
        • Remove Account
        • Change Default Login Account
      • Change Account Password
      • Change Email Address
      • Change Mailing Address
      • Change Phone Number
      • Change Profile Name
    • Business Accounts
  • Outages
    • Outages Overview
    • Report Power Outage
    • Check Outage Status
    • View Outage Map
    • Outage Alerts
    • Report Other Problem
      • Report Safety Hazard
      • Report Tree Problem
      • Report Streetlight Problem
      • Report Leased Light Problem
      • Report Power Theft
    • Outages FAQ
    • Outage Verification Letter
    • Load Shed Information
  • Savings
    • Savings Overview
    • Money and Energy Savings for Your Home
      • Home Savings Overview
      • Save Energy
        • Save Energy Overview
        • Appliances & Electronics
        • Heating & Cooling
        • Landscaping
        • Lighting
        • Water Heating
      • Temperature Tracker
    • Money and Energy Savings for Your Business
      • Money and Energy Savings for Your Business Overview
      • Save Energy
        • Save Energy Overview
        • Heating & Cooling (HVAC)
        • Lighting
        • Motors & Drives
        • Refrigeration
      • Temperature Tracker
      • Savings Toolkit
    • Your Energy Usage
  • Community
    • Community Overview
    • Caring For Our Community
      • Caring For Our Community Overview
      • Volunteering
      • Charitable Giving
      • Featured Stories
    • Growing Our Community
      • Growing Our Community Overview
      • Community Affairs and Economic Development Managers
    • Power Projects & Plans
      • Power Projects & Plans Overview
      • Reliability & Tree Trimming
      • McAllen & Mission Area Transition from Oncor
      • Smart Meters
      • Asset Controller
    • Energy Education
      • Energy Education Overview
      • Kids & Teachers
      • Electric & Magnetic Fields
    • Clean Energy
    • Economic Development
    • Electric Cars
    • Electrification for Your Business
    • Featured Stories
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Update Account Settings
    • Report an Outage
  • Safety
    • Safety Overview
    • Order Safety DVD
    • Power Line Safety
    • Staying Safe at Home
    • Contractor Safety
    • Emergency Responders
    • Generator Safety for Businesses
  • Company
    • Company Overview
    • About Us
      • About Us Overview
      • AEP Texas Electric Choice
        • AEP Texas Electric Choice Overview
        • Business Hours & Holiday Schedule
        • Letters of Authorization
        • Permit & Inspection Requirements
        • How to Register As A REP
        • REP Desk
        • Meter Reading Schedule
        • SAC & TDSP Codes
        • Tariff Codes
        • Transition Deposit Charge Agreements
        • Workshops
        • ZIP codes
      • AEP Texas Leadership
      • AEP Texas Electric Rates
    • Economic Development
      • Economic Development Overview
      • AEP Economic Development
      • Economic Development Training
      • Shale Oil and Gas Location
    • News Releases
      • News Releases Overview
      • AEP Texas Media Contacts
    • Careers
    • Legal Notices
    • Media Gallery
  • Clean Energy
    • Clean Energy Overview
    • Electric Cars
      • Electric Cars Overview
      • Electric Vehicles for Your Business
    • Electrification for Your Business
      • Electrification for Your Business Overview
      • Electric Forklifts
    • Environment
    • Renewable Energy
      • Renewable Energy Overview
      • Solar
        • Solar Overview
        • Do's and Don'ts of Hiring a Contractor
        • How Residential Solar Panels Work
      • Wind
  • Business Customers
    • Business Summary
    • Business To Business
      • Business To Business Overview
      • Pole Attachment Policy
    • Industry Solutions
      • Industry Solutions Overview
      • Economic & Business Development
      • Sustainability
      • Electrification
      • Associated Business Development
    • Builders & Contractors
      • Builders & Contractors Overview
      • Installing Generating Equipment
      • Meter Install Order Status
      • New Business Service
      • New Home Service
      • RV Park Meter Policy
      • Temporary Service
    • Federal Tax Credits | Explore Grants & Incentives for Your Business
Register Contact us
Español
Give feedback
  • My Account(current)
    Account Summary
    • Electric Choice
    • Electric Rates
    Billing Issues
    • Report Fraud and Scams
    Service Requests
    • Start, Stop & Transfer Service
    • Modify Service
    Energy Usage
    • View Usage
    • Energy Saving Tips
    • Rebates & Incentives
    Business Accounts
    • Business Summary
    • Industry Solutions
    • Builders & Contractors
    • Business to Business
    Register
    Account Settings
    Change your email, phone number, and other settings on your profile
    Notification Preferences
    Get outage alerts, or manage how we contact you
  • Outages(current)
    Outages Overview
    • Report an Outage
    • Check Outage Status
    • Outage Alerts
    • View Outage Map
    • Load Shed Information
    • Power Restoration FAQs
    • Outage Verification Letter
    Safety
    • Power Line Safety
    • Portable Generators
    • Meter Collar Devices:
    • Installation
    • Approved Devices
    Report Other Problems
    • Safety Hazard
    • Tree Problem
    • Streetlight Problem
    • Leased Light Problem
    • Power Theft
  • Savings(current)
    Home Savings
    • Rebates & Incentives
    Energy Tips
    • Heating & Cooling
    • Lighting
    • Landscaping
    • Appliances & Electronics
    Business Savings
    • Energy Saving Tips
    • Temperature Tracker
    • Industry Solutions
    Energy Usage
  • Community(current)
    Community Overview
    Caring for Our Community
    • Featured Stories
    • Volunteering
    • Charitable Giving
    Projects & Plans
    • Smart Meters
    • Reliability & Tree Trimming
    Economic Development
    Clean Energy
    • Environment
    • Electrification for Your Business
    • Renewable Energy
    • Electric Cars
    Our Company
    • News Releases
    • About Us
    • Careers
  • Contact(current)
    Contact Overview
    Customer Service:
    • 1.877.373.4858
    Outages:
    • 1.866.223.8508
    Careers
    Power out?
    • Report an Outage
    • Check Outage Status
    • View Outage Map
    Call 811 Before You Dig
    Account Maintenance
    • Update Account Settings
    • Start, Stop & Transfer
    • Notification Preferences
    Other Contacts:
    • Media Contacts
    Social Media:
    • Facebook
    • X
×
  1. Home
  2. Community
  3. Caring For Our Community

A Home for Christmas

February 11, 2020

Four-year-old Liam Chavez made no effort to contain his excitement as they entered. “Oh my gosh,” he bellowed. Then, the only sound in the room were his mother’s low sounds of joy as the family of four joined in a group hug. 

AEP Texas employees joined Habitat for Humanity of Laredo and others in helping the Chavez family dedicate their new home. A $50,000 grant from the AEP Foundation provided primary funding for the home, and AEP Texas employees helped frame and complete construction of it.

Alex and Jasmine, their son, Liam; and one-year-old daughter, Ihana; now have a home. A dedication ceremony for the Habitat for Humanity of Laredo home was held Dec. 14. 

“I don’t know how to put it into words. Everything is amazing” Alex said. “We are blessed to have the help and blessed to have this for our children,” he said gesturing at the interior of the new home. “There’s just so much joy knowing that my kids are going to have a home and we’re not going to have stay at an apartment just renting," Jasmine said.

Habitat Executive Director Carol Sherwood estimated that the family moved from a two bedroom apartment of no more than 600 square feet. The new three-bedroom two-bath home totals 1,165 square feet. The couple put in over 500 hours of “sweat-equity” in order to secure a no interest loan to pay their portion of the cost.

“The AEP Foundation really came through,” Shewood said. “Tony Arce (AEP Texas external affairs manager) worked with us for quite a while to take us through the process so that we would be able to receive a full house sponsorship.”

Sherwood noted that the home was the fifth built by Laredo Habitat this year and would not have been possible without the $50,000 contribution from the AEP Foundation, meaning that the Chavez family would have waited until sometime next year to move into a new home.

She emphasized that the Laredo agency has a long-standing relationship with AEP Texas employees, most notably with Mark Ochoa, senior customer distribution design technician and current board president. “He is the most dedicated and caring person.  I met him 25 years ago at a Habitat site. He walked up with his tool belt, and he never left. Since then, he’s been in multiple capacities and serves as our current board president.

“He is one of the best leaders I’ve ever seen,” Sherwood continued. “In a world of wonderful people, he is very special. Wise and thoughtful in in his approach, he’s there for everybody.”  

Ochoa said the dedications are very emotional. “Normally, the family has not seen the home for several weeks prior to the dedication. So, it’s quite a shock for them.  It’s very emotional but very satisfying.

“This is why I’ve been involved for 20-plus years,” Ochoa added. “It’s just so good to see the change in the families. The kids blossom in school. It changes their lives.”

Related Stories

5/5/2025

AEP Texas Celebrates National Apprenticeship Week in Laredo

4/22/2025

Powering Futures: Touch-A-Truck event brings smiles to young students

4/22/2025

AEP Texas employees celebrated "Dia De Los Niños"


Related information...
Volunteering
Charitable Giving
Featured Stories

  • Safety
  • Company
  • Clean Energy
  • Business
Need help? Call us.
866.223.8508
Español
Visit AEP.com | Investors | AEP Careers | Electric Choice | Electric Rates
Use of this site constitutes acceptance of the AEP Terms and Conditions. Privacy Policy © 1996-2025 American Electric Power. All Rights Reserved.

Select your state handbook


  • Indiana Customer Handbook

  • Michigan Customer Handbook
  • Texas Customer Handbook

  • Arkansas: Your Rights as a Customer

  • Arkansas: "Arkansas Commercial/Industrial Price Options"

Loading video...


What Does "Remember User ID” Mean?

“Remember User ID” helps you log in without having to memorize your ID or look it up every time. When you opt in, we automatically fill in your ID from then on. To avoid unauthorized access, you’ll still have to enter your password.

Security Code

Your security code is a short word or phrase you set up with our customer service associates to provide extra protection for your online account.

If you have forgotten your security code, please call 877.373.4858.

Welcome back!

Please login to manage your account.

Forgot User ID or Password?
Register