Despite Warmer Temps, 765 Volunteers Shake Their Cans & Aprons During 24th Annual Hardee’s “Rise and Shine For Heat Day” Benefit, Friday, February 9th During Breakfast

After coming off of a blistering cold month of January, February has given Missouri and Illinois residents some relief of warmer temperatures. And a chance to catch-up on their past due utility bills or a chance to review their tight home financial budgets. Despite those overnights and early mornings, chilly temperatures still kick on some area furnaces. Inflation and affordability still represent a pocketbook crisis for hundreds of seniors, people with disabilities, working poor and those with medium incomes, who live paycheck-to-paycheck. The cost of natural gas and electricity is still a challenge for thousands of area households.

The 24th annual Hardee’s Rise and Shine for Heat Day benefit, on Friday February 9 is a volunteer based regional effort in Missouri and Illinois to help low-to-medium income families, who are struggling with their often-delinquent heating and light bills.

Since its inception almost 24 years ago, Heatupstlouis.org and Heatupmissouri.org have impacted the lives of about 1.7 million people throughout Missouri and Illinois and raised millions. Hardee’s annual regionwide fundraiser alone has raised more than $4.5 million from substantial grants; and small donations from the sales of Hardee’s sausage biscuits and egg biscuits for a special price of $1 each.

This year in addition to only those Hardee’s two biscuit items being offered for $1 each, Capstone Restaurants, LLC (Hardee’s area franchisee) started in January a pre-bulk order campaign. To further shore-up Rise and Shine fundraising dollars, they instituted a Hardee’s Heat-Up/Round-Up during regular business hours, through Monday, February 12.

“There is no doubt that times are very tough for many. The improving economy has not yet impacted the poorest-of-the-poorest, and those living on a fixed income like seniors or those families who have had hours cut back and the outrageous escalating costs of living,” said Reverend Earl E. Nance, Jr. treasurer for Heatupstlouis.org.

This year’s 24th annual Hardee’s Rise and Shine for Heat Day benefit is during breakfast hours in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area. In addition to the sell of the Sausage biscuits and Egg biscuits more than 765 volunteers will be stationed at the menu board, drive-thru and in-store requesting additional dough (tips) in their special Hardee’s/Ameren/Commerce Bank souvenir aprons and canisters.

This winter, inflation, the flu and the lingering pandemic with high prescription and medical costs have wrestled with some families’ budgets. And many heads of households, who work a home have become victims of skyrocketed energy costs, too. Most employers do not reimburse individuals for working at home. No matter how reasonable the costs of certain energy sources, maybe to some, the abundance of utility usage during the day adds to the home budget expenses.

in addition, hundreds of heads of households may not qualify for federal funds or may need additional fundings. That where’s the Hardee’s Rise and Shine donors come in because there are less application barriers. The economy is so turbulent, we fear more families sliding off the safety net to borderline homelessness or emotional despair.

The high demand for utility assistance since November has risen to about a 49% increase versus last winter heating season. Heatupstlouis.org continues to work with its utility partners of additional ways to help the ratepayer shore up their household expenses related to energy.

100% of all proceeds will stay in the communities where funds were collected to keep neighbors in need warm, for instance in the bi-state area, as far away as Jefferson, Lincoln, Pike, and Warren counties in Missouri, and Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois and other Missouri counties, including St. Charles, and St. Louis County, and the City of St. Louis.

“This is a media neutral event, where the St. Louis media has made a significant contribution to ensuring that those without a primary heating source or those being threatened with utility disconnections get the help they need,” said Denise Liebel board chair of Heatupstlouis.org. “Often some area heads of households do not qualify for federal, state or local funds, so the Rise and Shine resources become an economic lifeline.”

Both Ameren, Spire, Affordable Housing Trust fund, and Commerce Bank and others will also be making significant contributions during Rise and Shine Day, February 9th. Hardee’s has an ongoing canister collection campaign under way through Monday, February 11, along with its Hardee’s/Heat-Up Round-Up campaign.

“People are truly hurting, because we are seeing more and more people who live paycheck-to-paycheck, stretching the region’s safety net,” said the Reverend Earl E. Nance, Jr., chair emeritus and corporate treasurer of the bi-state, not-for-profit advocacy, education, and energy assistance charity, covering about 44 Missouri and Illinois counties, including the City of St. Louis. They are usually donors. Now many of them are hurting. Today is a chance to have neighbors helping neighbors.”
“These recent series of cold snaps have hiked-up a lot of bills, making it very challenging choices between heating and eating,” said the Reverend Earl E. Nance, Jr.
The bi-state area charity depends on grassroots and public service fundraisers like Hardee’s Rise and Shine for Heat. The 2024 Rise and Shine benefit kicks off so far with about $80,000 in donation. The overall Rise and Shine Day fundraiser along with these numbers are expected to rise significantly for the annual fundraisers on Rise and Shine Day, Friday, February 9th. Missouri and Illinois volunteers associated with firms and associations, and civic groups add to the over-all donation pot. Hardee’s Rise and Shine pre-orders of sausage biscuits and egg biscuits have as well, and that campaign ends on Thursday, February 8 by 12 Noon.

“This is why it is so important to ensure that funds from events such as Rise and Shine are bundled with other funding sources, to help drive down extremely high energy bills,” said Ben Turec, Board President of Heatupstlouis.org.

Earlier this winter there were some unnecessary home and apartment fires. Some due to the use of unsafe methods of heating, etc.

“Wintertime has the highest incidents of home and apartment fires because some people attempt to use unsafe methods of heating their homes,” said St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, and chair of the Health and Safety Committee at Heatupstlouis.org, also representing the Fire Chiefs Association of Greater St. Louis. “It’s important to work with the utilities and keep your primary home heating source connected, especially during the winter months, as your health and safety become more critically important.”

Area civic, business, religious, first-responders, media and civic leaders have been invited to contribute to this year’s event and serve as community hosts at area participating Hardee’s shaking their canisters.
Heatupstlouis.org (Heatupmissouri.org) is asking that you share your Rise and Shine fun photos on your social media format on February 9th and ours is @HeatupSTL (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for posting; and its Facebook at Heat-Up St. Louis.