Special to the Register

Diane Ohrtman was suspicious of her new home’s electrical safety when she moved in five years ago.

“Just about every day, the lights were dimming. We even joked about it. What's going to happen? Is your house going to burn down?” she said. “It was nerve-wracking.”

As issues escalated, she realized it was time for a professional fix she might not be able to afford.

Two outlets displayed hints they had burned sometime in the past, but it was the fuse box and associated wiring that posed the biggest risk. An estimate from a contractor confirmed the urgent problem was out of her budget range, but a friend at the local New Opportunities Inc. outreach office suggested she apply to the Embrace Iowa program.

It has been more than 40 years since the Iowa Community Actio

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