“We know all too well that St. Louis summers can bring unrelenting heat, which puts a lot of our most vulnerable populations at risk. Add to that now the devastating health and economic effects of COVID-19, and it’s abundantly clear that a lot of people are in need. This assistance will help them stay cool and stay safe. I can’t thank Cool Down St. Louis enough for being such a reliable and committed partner,” said Mayor Krewson.

On May 29, Mayor Krewson announced a $64 million funding package through the CARES Act and other federal sources to address the health, humanitarian, and economic impacts of COVID-19 on more than 300,000 St. Louisans. Though the Board of Aldermen just passed this historic legislation on July 8, Mayor Krewson has been working intently across all departments to ensure the prompt delivery of vital resources like utility assistance to the community.

“We are thrilled that Mayor Krewson, the City of St. Louis Department of Health (DOH), and the Community Development Administration (CDA) are partnering with us to keep residents cool and safe. These CARES Act funds will be a lifesaver for hopefully hundreds of qualified residents,” said Rev. Earl E. Nance, Jr., chair emeritus and corporate treasurer of Cooldownstlouis.org.

Applications for City residents only are now available at Cooldownstlouis.org under the “Get Help Now!” red tab. But seniors over the age of 65 and the physically disabled without access to a computer or Internet access, please call the seniors only hotline at (314) 241-0001 or (314) 657-1599 during regular business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday for help with the application.

Cooldownstlouis.org will determine eligibility based on criteria that includes but is not limited to an outstanding balance on utility bills, inability to pay or a disconnection notice, and income and current employment status. Qualified City residents could receive potential grants of upwards of $1,750, per household, depending on their outstanding balances.

“People are hurting and it’s not just our beloved seniors and disabled neighbors, but many moderate-income individuals who were laid off or faced with reduced hours because of COVID-19. These grants will give so many hope,” Rev. Nance, Jr. added.

Cooldownstlouis.org is also currently working with local utilities to help City residents with high utility balances keep their electricity running this summer. Being without electricity during humid, hot weather can lead to heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke and potentially death.

Mayor Krewson will have additional announcements in the coming days about assistance available for the community through the City’s CARES Act allocation.

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ST. LOUIS (June 3, 2020) – It was a MILLION DOLLAR day for Cooldownstlouis.org. Dr. Sam Page, St. Louis County Executive also provided a $500,000 grant from CDBG funds. Also St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson also proposed $3 million for utility assistance for her City. Today, Ameren Missouri donated 1,000 air conditioners and 1,000 four-packs of LED light bulbs to Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org to support the most vulnerable customers in St. Louis and eastern Missouri.

It was also announced that Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org are partner agencies in Ameren Missouri’s COVID-19 Clean Slate program, which launched today. Through the program, Ameren Missouri is donating $3 million to help families pay off past-due energy bills. Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org will receive $500,000 of the Clean Slate funds.

“The summer heat in our region can be extremely dangerous for people without access to air conditioning, particularly for seniors and those with medical conditions,” said Marty Lyons, chairman and president of Ameren Missouri. “Our partnership with Cooldownstouis.org, Cooldownmissouri.org and the social service and community action agencies from across our service territory helps ensure our customers can stay safe and healthy as temperatures begin to rise.”

“Our COVID-19 Clean Slate program is similar to one we had following the economic crisis in 2009 which helped thousands of Missourians pay off their energy bills,” Lyons added. “With so many customers in need today, we felt it was important to bring back the program, which is why we worked closely with the Missouri Office of the Public Council to make this happen.”

This year’s air conditioner donation marks the 20th anniversary of Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri’s “Save our Seniors” (S.O.S) Cooling Summer Project and the 15th year of participation by Ameren Missouri, resulting in more than 8,500 window air conditioning units delivered to qualified seniors and physically disabled customers across the region. The air conditioners are ENERGY STAR®-certified units, and on average, cost less than a dollar a day to operate.

“Community and corporate cooperation is a great foundation for success,” said Missouri Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe, honorary co-chair of Cooldownmissouri.org. “Cool Down Missouri and Ameren have established an ongoing partnership with far-reaching benefits. I am grateful for their teamwork and will continue to highlight this partnership as a prime example of a successful corporate/non-profit collaboration.”

Said Dr. Sam Page, St. Louis County Executive and honorary co-chair of Cooldownstouis.org: “No senior or physically disabled resident should be allowed to suffer a heat stroke this summer or have the dangerous hot, humid St. Louis weather exacerbate an on-going medical condition because of the lack of a working A/C. Also, we all should be impressed with Ameren’s COVID-19 Clean Slate program.”

Today, while social distancing, many volunteers prepared donated units for state-wide distribution to an already large waiting list of qualified seniors and physically disabled clients. Joining Lyons were Ameren Missouri volunteers, Cool Down board members, Missouri Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page; Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, Greater St. Louis Area Fire Chiefs Association; Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc., chair emeritus Reverend Earl. E. Nance, Jr., and Linda Fritz, program director NECAC, and popular St. Louis television meteorologists.

“The COVID-19 epidemic has presented so many economic challenges,” said St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, honorary chair of Cooldownstlouis.org. “So today’s donation of air conditioners by Ameren is phenomenal news. This means a lot of grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, and uncles who may need to stay sheltered now will not have to worry about a working A/C or a high utility bill. Thank you, Ameren, also for your leadership in partnering with Cool Down and for embarking on your ambitious statewide Ameren Missouri COVID-19 Clean Slate program. “

Elderly and physically disabled customers, as well as low-to-moderate income families, are encouraged to apply for the energy assistance funds by visiting CooldownSt.Louis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org or by calling 314-241-0001 or 314-657-1599, which are their hotlines for seniors and disabled only.

“This is fantastic news. The unveiling of the Ameren Missouri COVID-19 Clean Slate program, along with the donation of 1,000 air conditioners – these are great humanitarian efforts that will keep our area’s most vulnerable neighbors safe this summer,” said Michael P. McMillan, a Cooldownstlouis.org board member and president and CEO, the Urban League Metropolitan St. Louis. Inc. “Ameren has always been the leader in stepping up to the plate to make a difference in improving the quality of life for literally thousands. We are all grateful for their generosity.”

The Cool Down S.O.S. (Save our Seniors) summer project also encourages area residents to check on their elderly neighbors to make sure their air conditioners are on and working. “We’re trying to save as many lives each summer as humanly possible, and that effort begins with each neighbor helping each neighbor,” said Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, representing Cooldownstlouis.org and the Greater St. Louis Area Fire Chiefs Association. “Ameren has given us two powerful tools which will strengthen our region’s safety.”

Cool Down will also be distributing 100,000 cooling cards with helpful summer tips as well as Ameren’s contact information to further assist with various programs throughout the summer months. Ameren Missouri also encourages customers who are having difficulty paying their bill to contact the Customer Care team, or visit the payment assistance page on AmerenMissouri.com/EnergyAssistance for more information on COVID-19 Clean Slate and other available programs.

Other assistance and account management programs include:

• LIHEAP – The State of Missouri offers assistance for income-eligible customers through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Contact your local Community Action Agency or call 855.FSD.INFO (855.373.4636) to request an application.
• Budget Billing Plan – Customer’s annual energy bill is averaged over the past year and a fixed amount is billed monthly, making it easier to budget.
• Pick A Due Date – Pick the day of the month that is most convenient for you to pay your Ameren energy bill.
• Low-Income Weatherization Assistance – Reduce your energy bill by weatherizing your home. Income-eligible customers can call the United Way at 211 to learn about local weatherization assistance agencies.
• Energy-Efficiency Rebates – A variety of rebates are available to help reduce energy usage. Visit AmerenMissouriSavings.com for details.

About Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org
Cooldownstlouis.org is a bi-state non-profit dedicated to providing education and resources to help the most vulnerable citizens, especially seniors, low-income families and the physically disabled. The organization works with more than 34 agencies to make sure utility bills are paid and the community’s most vulnerable citizens have access to the energy-efficient air conditioners they need to stay safe.

About Ameren Missouri
Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than 100 years, and the company’s electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. Ameren Missouri’s mission is to power the quality of life for its 1.2 million electric and 132,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company’s service area covers 64 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit Ameren.com/Missouri or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenMissouri or Facebook.com/AmerenMissouri.
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Please go to Heatupstlouis.org or Heatupmissouri.org online today. For those without computers or mobile internet access you should call either 314-657-1599 or 314-241-7668 (automated hotlines) and we will see if you are qualified, etc. While we help with many utility bills that deal with natural gas, propane, home heating oil, we partner “directly” throughout the state of Missouri with Ameren Missouri. We and our partners have some other limited energy funds for non-electricity clients in need in Illinois and Missouri through us and our 35 partnerships.

Also, at some point, if you will be encouraged to be self-quarantined due to the #Cornoavirus or at some point soon the #Cornoavirus has economically impacted you, due to employment layoffs, etc. we will make every effort to help you, if we haven’t already.

Keep in mind that everything is based on availability of funds. That’s why if you are in one of those aforementioned economic categories already and you are having an affordability problem in general with utilities, please reach out sooner than later.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO COMMUNICATE WITH US ON FACEBOOK OR TWITTER. YOU MUST GO THROUGH OUR SECURED WEBSITES, OR AUTOMATED HOTLINES. YOUR PRIVACY IS IMPORTANT TO US.

Finally for those local, state and federal leaders asking local utilities to change some temporary policies, we encourage you to join us in obtaining for Missouri and Illinois neighbors in need federal dollars through any upcoming Congressional acts or the White House’s National Emergency. We need programs targeted to remove red tape and to fund energy assistance programs. It takes a village of all entities to keep our Missouri and Illinois neighbors safe. We welcome you to join the neighborhood.

Federal government can’t do it all, but when they can, they should. In this case emergency dollars are needed beyond donations, local government and utility entities’ support. Keeping needy people’s utilities on this winter and summer and keeping their rents paid, and groceries on the table is a Federal Government responsibility, as well.

Hardee’s special offer this year was $1.00 for a Sausage Biscuit or Egg Biscuit. The entire sales proceeds, along with canister and apron collections from about 650 volunteers, plus on-line,  grants and corporate donations, will go to help Illinois and Missouri area seniors, the physically disabled and low-income families with children with their delinquent heating bills through the end of March, 2020. Warner L. Baxter, chairman, president and CEO of Ameren Corporation, serves as this year’s campaign chair, even though this benefit will pay for propane, natural gas and home heating oil, as well as electric utilities.

“The spirit of the St. Louis region is awesome,” said the Reverend Earl E. Nance, Jr., Corporate Treasurer and general chairperson. “We appreciate those hundreds of volunteers and St. Louis media market members, all who braved the morning bitter cold to show some love for their neighbors, who are making choices between heating, eating, and paying for their high meds and other essentials in life. The St. Louis media joined together as a dynamic force to beat down Old Man Winter.”

FOX 2, KTVI; KSDK 5 On Your Side and KMOV Channel 4 all did live interviews from various Hardee’s locations with board members, many who are regional leaders and newsmakers. In addition, Entercom stations, including KMOX; Hubbard stations, including WIL-FM; I-Heart Media stations, including The Bull; and Radio One stations, including 95.5-FM, all provided live remotes and/or celebrity call-ins. The St. Louis American also provided pro bono advertising of the Rise and Shine campaign.

“It takes a village to help reduce high utility bills,” said the Rev. Earl E. Nance, Jr. “This annual campaign reflects the spirit of giving and working together to reduce homelessness and poverty in the greater metropolitan area.”

Even though the 20th Annual Hardee’s Rise and Shine for Heat campaign takes place in the immediate greater St. Louis area, the charity now services about 44 Missouri and Illinois counties and the City of St. Louis. This includes as far as the Bootheel and Jefferson City/Columbia areas, which were not involved in this Hardee’s Rise and Shine campaign.

If the public wishes to donate or needs help with their winter utility bills, they may go to Heatupstlouis.org, a secure website, to donate or fill out a questionnaire for assistance.

Rev. Earl E. Nance, Jr., corporate treasurer of the bi-state charity attributes the increase to advance brisk pre-bulk sales orders of sausage biscuits and egg biscuits by area businesses and online donations.

Due to the deadly winter weather today, Hardee’s has extended it special canister collections only through this weekend, until Monday, February 17.  Donations can also be made online at Heatupstlouis.org. 100% of all proceeds for this event will service the needy, as Ameren and Hardee’s underwrote adman expenses.

The charity wishes to thank the educational and awareness efforts of the St. Louis media. It has demonstrated a unique partnership in an effort to keep seniors, the physically disabled and low-income neighbors with small children connected to their area Illinois and Missouri utilities; in an effort to avoid unsafe methods of heating.

The final report for Hardee’s 20^th Annual Rise and Shine for Heat on Valentine’s Day will be issued on Tuesday, February 18.

700 area firefighters, media, social service, business, political and civic leaders and board members of Heatupstlouis.org are preparing to help raise dough and awareness of bi-state area qualified seniors, the physically disabled and low-income neighbors without heat or whose energy bills are delinquent. This year’s 20th anniversary campaign theme is “Have a Heart…Heat A Home.” The event is scheduled on Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14th, during breakfast. This year’s goal is $400,000.

The volunteers will be wearing Heat-Up/Hardee’s official 20th anniversary money-pocket aprons and be directing customers to the two Hardee’s offerings of Sausage Biscuits and Egg Biscuits at the special price of $1.00 during breakfast only, on February 14th. The 700 area volunteers, who will be stationed in the drive-thru, dining room and menu boards, will also accept extra donations from Hardee’s patrons. 100% of the morning sales and donations will be used by Heatupstlouis.org and its consortium of social service partners, for all forms of heating assistance.

A “Fill-Up A Canister, Heat A Home” canister collection campaign, at about 50 area Hardee’s locations, will lead up to the benefit event day and end on February 16th. Heatupstlouis.org also invited area businesses to do bulk pre-orders of the two specially priced products at a $1.00 each for their offices. The pre-order deadline is Wednesday, February 12th by 12 Noon.

Heatupstlouis.org officials stressed that this winter, with all of the cold snaps, it has been brutal on the pocketbooks of the entire St. Louis region. In addition, the organization reminds us that utility affordability is a long-term problem for many area residents. Such problems have caused house fires and fatalities because of unsafe methods of heating, due to the use of space heaters as primary, instead of supplemental, heating sources. Having no utilities is also a health and safety issue.

“Heatupstlouis.org helps save lives,” said St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, co-chair of the regional volunteer charity’s Health & Safety Committee. “Wintertime is the most dangerous time for home and apartment fires. It’s important to work with the utilities and keep connected to a primary heating source, and if you need help, contact us via Heatupstlouis.org.” Jenkerson also represents the Fire Chiefs Association of Greater St. Louis.

FOX2, KTVI; KSDK, 5 On Your Side; KMOV, Channel 4, KMOX Radio and other Entercom Group stations; Hubbard Radio, Radio One and I-Heart Media have all agreed to provide live coverage the morning of Friday, February 14. Some will be interviewing newsmakers, who are members of the Heatupstlouis.org board or major donors. Hardee’s and Ameren’s Charitable Trust is underwriting all administrative costs for the Rise & Shine project.

This year’s honorary chairs include: Laurie and Tom Trotter, senior partners with the locally owned Hardee’s restaurant units; Marty Lyons, the new Chairman and President of Ameren Missouri; Richard Mark, Chairman, and President, Ameren Illinois; April Ford Griffin, Executive Director, Affordable Housing Trust Fund; Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic Gold Medalist; Tara K. Oglesby, Vice President, Customer Experience, Ameren Missouri; St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann; St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page; St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern; Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson of Fire Chief Association of Greater St. Louis (MO/IL); Dr. Fredrick Echols, Health Director, St. Louis City; Michael P. McMillan, president/CEO of Urban League of Greater St. Louis; Bishop Elijah Hankerson, III, president of Clergy Coalition of Metropolitan; Denise Liebel, board president of Heatupstlouis.org and a children’s services executive; Pamela R. Walker, HUSTL president emeritus and health care expert; St. Louis City Treasurer Tishaura Jones; and Reverend Earl E. Nance, Jr., corporate Treasurer and Chair Emeritus.

Since its inception 20 years ago, Heatupstlouis.org and its sister projects have impacted the lives of more than 640,000 people. All administrative costs are underwritten by a 67-member all-volunteer board of directors. The charity now services 44 Missouri and Illinois counties, including the City of St. Louis. Anyone wishing to donate needs to go online to www.Heatupstlouis.org. Any person in need of utility assistance should dial the Heat-Up automated hotlines at 314-657-1599 or 314-241-7668.