Despite A Cold Winter Rain Area Hardee’s Customers Have A Heart and Helped Heat Homes by Raising $25,000 for the Rise and Shine for Heat-Up St. Louis Fundraiser

More than 260 civic, business, religious and media volunteers helped to heat homes in Missouri and Illinois through the annual Rise and Shine for Heat-Up St. Louis fundraiser which took place on Valentine’s Day at eighty area Hardee’s Restaurants. This year’s efforts forced volunteers to collect funds in the middle of a winter storm watch with consistently windy and cold, rainy weather.

The bulk of the $25,000 was raised in a matter of several hours through the sale of Hardee’s made-from-scratch Sausage and Egg Biscuit sandwiches during a breakfast fundraiser on Friday, February 14 for Heat-Up St. Louis, a regional energy assistance and advocacy charity that networks with about twelve social service and community action agencies in more than 15 Missouri and Illinois counties, including St. Louis City. About 12,000 Sausage and Egg Biscuits were sold, and the remaining cash came from customers who made additional donations to the volunteers, and through the charity’s UMB Bank Post Office.

Heat-Up St. Louis officials are reminding needy individuals who can not afford to pay their winter heating bills to call the Heat-Up St. Louis, 314-241-7668 for assistance. Also the Cold Weather Rule expires on March 31, and after that day Missouri and Illinois utilities will be permitted to disconnect utility services without special customer protection provisions.

“We continue to get a tremendous amount of calls from needy individuals who are still challenged with this very cold winter weather,” said Reverend Earl E. Nance, Jr., vice chairman of Heat-Up St. Louis. ” With the increase of natural gas prices, and home heating oil prices there is a definite need to help individuals and families, the disabled and elderly keep up with their high home heating bills.” Nance also thanked the Hardee’s customers who braved the cold to participate in the giving process.

Heat-Up St. Louis also credits the local electronic and print media for heightened awareness for this annual event by airing public service announcements, live-remotes and running newspaper articles.