Looking for a cheap, used gas stove for friends in need

Some friends of ours have had enormous health problems over the past couple of years. The wife has missed a lot of work because of her husband's multiple hospitalizations, doctors' appointments and medical emergencies. She's extremely fortunate that she's been able to keep her job, but she only gets paid for the hours she's able to work. They've been able to keep body and soul together (just barely), but it's been very difficult and money is a real problem for them. (Obviously, they are not alone in that circumstance, but these are some genuinely good people who I'd like to help, if I can.)

I found out today that their gas oven hasn't worked for at least a year. I believe the gas cooktop still works, but it's still a big inconvenience for her to not have an oven. She'd really like to be able to cook a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but that's pretty hard to do without an oven.

I thought I would be able to find a relatively inexpensive used gas stove on Craigslist that we could buy for them, but there are only a few listed and they are wanting a lot more than I have to spend.

I realize there are lots of people out there in similar circumstances and probably some worse off, but I would really like to do this for my friends. I have someone who can transport the stove, if we find one.

I thought I'd take a chance that maybe someone on Louisville Hot Bytes might know someone (ideally in Southern Indiana) with an used, working gas stove they'd like to sell pretty cheap.

I'm not asking for a hand-out or a gift. I can spend up to $100 to buy them a gas stove, but that's really the max I can spare for this project.

If you know anyone who might have a gas stove for sale, drop me a PM or an email. Thanks.

Lois Mauk
Jeffersonville, Indiana

Here's one listed on Craigslist: http://louisville.craigslist.org/for/1437496683.html

You are a very caring friend, Lois!

Here are a few things you can try:

• Freecycle is a Yahoo group that lists items people are giving away. Besides offers you can post "wants".
• Goodwill and other thrift stores sometimes have appliances for reasonable prices
• Appliance stores sometimes offer to remove a customers' old appliances for free when they buy a new one. If you explain your friends' situation they might offer a serviceable used stove for free.
• Isn't there a very large appliance manufacturer in Louisville? One would think they might like some positive PR.

Remember, though, on Freecycle you're supposed to offer at least one thing before listing a "want."

Thanks for the ideas, Steve. I'm going to check with a local appliance dealer to see if they might have some ideas. My friends are not the types who would want their personal misfortunes to be made public, so that narrows my options. They wouldn't dream of asking for help, but I want to see if I can do something for them. Personally, I can't imagine not having a fully functional stove for over a year and I think getting one for them in the next several weeks will make a world of difference for them in celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Perhaps maybe you could just send out a repairman. It may be that they just need a thermo-coupler or a new thermostat. Heck, they might just need the pilot light lit. The parts for a gas stove are usually not too expensive.

I wish I had seen this on Friday, we just Sears haul our old one away. I would have loved for someone who needed it to get it.

I echo Dans comment. Theres not much that can go wrong with a gas stove. Most likely its the thermocouple. Thats about ten dollars at most and a repair man could put one in about ten minutes. I know I can replace one in that amount of time.