Cool Down St. Louis’ Regional Efforts Bolstered AmerenUE 100 Air Conditioners and Area Vatterott Colleges Drop-Off Donated Units

Cool Down St. Louis, a regional, all-volunteer utility assistance and public education charity is rolling out its tenth year of summer campaigns to help reduce heat-related deaths and illnesses, including an ambitious public education program.

However, on Wednesday, St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, Richard Mark, Senior Vice President, Customer Operations, AmerenUE, Denise Liebel of St. Charles County, and Cool Down STL, Executive VP, Rev. Earl E. Nance, Jr. of St. Louis City, and Chair Emeritus, and Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, representing the Fire Chief Association of Greater St. Louis announced that AmerenUE has donated 100 Energy Star windows to Cool Down St. Louis. The announced took place at the AmerenUE headquarters on the upper parking lot, where about 15 vans and trucks loaded up the new units for distribution sites.

Cool Down St. Louis also announced that its Vatterott S.O.S. Cool Down Campus Drop-off project. Beginning Thursday, June 17, Vatterott Colleges in Missouri and Illinois will accept new and slightly used (less than 2 years old) air-conditioners and Cool Down St. Louis will provide tax receipts for each unit donated.

The Cool Down St. Louis partners with more than 14 Missouri and Illinois area social service agencies, who picked-up the units; and with Cool Down guidelines will also deliver to qualified seniors, the disabled and low-income households with children, who are in need of a window unit this summer.

The charity also encouraged people to call AmerenUE or their utility company in their area and inform them of their inability to pay. By not calling, or making arrangements, during the summer months, your service can be disconnected.

The “Check on Your Neighbors” project was also unveiled in an effort to avoid heat-related deaths and illnesses. Thousands of Cool Down Cooling Cards will be distributed throughout the metropolitan area to churches, civic and business groups to remind people to check on their neighbors and refer those in need to the Cool Down St. Louis automatic resource hotline at 314-241-7668. Last summer, Cool Down St. Louis collected and distributed more than 770 new and slightly used air-conditioners from the combined efforts of AmerenUE and the Vatterott.

Cool Down St. Louis now accepting on-line donations at www.cooldownstlouis.org. Tax-deductible donations may be sent to Cool Down St. Louis, c/o UMB Bank, P.O. Box 868, St. Louis, MO 63188.