Cool Down/Heat Up St. Louis

Heat-Up St. Louis (Heat-Up Missouri); and Cool Down St. Louis (Cool Down Missouri) was founded in February 2000. We now are celebrating our 23rd anniversary of public service. We now serve 44 Missouri and Illinois counties, including the City of St. Louis, St. Charles County and St. Louis County and poverty stricken St. Clair County, IL. We partner with more than 35 social service, community action organizations and municipalities. Despite that, we also provide direct-client services, as well. It often gives many the opportunity to have a one-stop-shop on-line for various other services within our consortium of partners.

Our 68-member, all-volunteer board of directors sets policy and our staff and volunteers execute the daily operational functions, often with some board volunteers pitching in. We provide electric, natural gas, propane, and home-heating oil assistance. We also provide donated energy efficient window A/Cs during the summer months. The charity also acts as a regional safety net when funding from the federal, state and local government and utility-charity programs fall short,

Our energy assistance programs through community initiatives provide Heat-Up/Cool Down's heavily traffic websites -- Heatupstlouis.org, Heatupmissouri.org, Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org excellent opportunities of reaching more neighbors in need in Missouri and Illinois and in geographic pockets often not accessible, as well.

All of our fundraisers are underwritten. But even the annual Hardee's Rise and Shine for Heat benefits, Ameren Missouri utility assistance, St. Louis City and St. Louis County government funding is not enough to prevent thousands of utility disconnections or keep the most vulnerable safe and cool in the summer months. Government can't do it all, so Heat-Up/Cool Down relies heavily on the generosity of the public.

"The Be A Good Neighbor," and "Check On Your Neighbors," is a critical part of our community public service outreach program which attempts to help save lives in the summer. Every red cent donated by the general public online goes to help someone in need. You can also send a tax-deductible donation to Heat-Up St. Louis, c/o UMB Bank, P.O. Box 868, St. Louis, MO 63188, or drop by any UMB Bank teller. Thank you for your generous donation online.