ST. LOUIS – Ameren Missouri donated 950 ENERGY STAR certified window air conditioners to Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org for qualifying customers living in St. Louis and communities throughout Missouri. Today, many volunteers prepared the donated units for statewide distribution.
“Living through the heat of a Midwest summer can be really hard, and we know that hot weather can put added strain on households needing reliable cooling,” said Michael Moehn, group president of Ameren Utilities. “Thanks to this longstanding and impactful partnership, our customers will have access to air conditioners and cooling resources ahead of the dangerous summer heat.”
This year’s air conditioner donation marks the 21st year Ameren Missouri has partnered with Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org and their “Save Our Seniors” (S.O.S.) summer project, which is celebrating its 26th year of service. During this time, Ameren Missouri and its volunteers have helped deliver more than 20,000 donated energy-efficient window air conditioner units.
“Cooldownmissouri.org is a vital charity and an essential lifeline, protecting thousands of seniors and households with vulnerable infants during dangerously hot, humid summer days,” said Missouri Lt. Gov. David Wasinger, who also serves as a proud state volunteer board member. “Our partnership with Ameren acts as a much-needed life preserver for Missourians who simply cannot afford a new, energy-efficient window air conditioner.”
St. Louis County Prosecutor Melissa Price Smith shared, “We’re here today to show our appreciation to the volunteers at Ameren and the agencies that are joining us to help distribute 950 new air conditioning units donated by Ameren throughout Missouri, including parts of the metropolitan area. These units are needed to ensure that someone’s elderly relative will not be overcome by the extreme St. Louis-area heat. Having a cooling unit can help prevent heat-related illnesses this summer. Since our inception, we’ve accepted thousands of donated units through the generosity of Ameren and individuals from the public sector and the business communities. We encourage the public to contribute to Cooldownstlouis.org to also help with utility assistance.”
St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson stated, “I’ve been associated with the city of St. Louis for more than 50 years. During my tenure as a firefighter and chief, I’ve responded to numerous service calls where tragedy could have been avoided with something as simple as a cooling unit, especially during the summer heat.”
On average, energy-efficient air conditioners cost less than $1 a day to operate. Access to an energy-efficient unit can help households stay safe during periods of high heat.
Jenkerson, who is also the Cooldownmissouri.org safety chair, continued, “I can assure you that because of the statewide partnership between Cooldownmissouri.org and Ameren, our efforts save lives each summer. Our success depends on engaging everyone here today – the St. Louis media, meteorologists, and the National Weather Service. It’s the donors with hearts as big as the Arch. It’s the Cool Down collaborations throughout the state and St. Louis region, with so many social service agencies helping. It also takes each one of us, too – neighbors checking on neighbors.”
Linda Huntspon, chief executive officer of the Community Action Agency of St. Louis County said, “Access to safe, reliable cooling is not a luxury; it is essential to the health and safety of families, seniors, and vulnerable residents during extreme summer heat. We are deeply grateful for the Heat Up St. Louis/Cool Down St. Louis and Ameren community partnership, which represents more than 25 years of neighbors helping neighbors to ensure families remain safe, stable and cool when they need it most.”
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has collaborated with Cooldownstlouis.org since its inception 26 years ago, not only by providing air conditioners but also through its annual summer expo and the Cool Down Energy Row project, where Ameren helps connect residents with energy programs.
“We know the region needs the Ameren and Cool Down annual A/C Giveaway program. It has been a lifesaver, especially for us in the urban core, where summer heat is very dangerous in old brick homes,” said Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. “As the weather becomes more extreme, affordability has become a real home budget issue. This joint summer project has helped thousands of seniors and families stay safe and stay alive.”
Other Ameren Missouri resources are available for seniors and those with medical needs. Customers and their families are encouraged to visit AmerenMissouri.com/HealthAndSafety for more information. Ameren Missouri also offers energy efficiency programs that are designed to benefit income-eligible customers who are looking to improve home energy efficiency.
Older adults and people with disabilities may also apply for energy assistance funds by visiting Cooldownstlouis.org or Cooldownmissouri.org or by calling 314.241.0001 or 314.834.0034, the hotlines for seniors and people with disabilities. Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org will also be distributing 200,000 cooling cards with helpful summer safety tips along with Ameren Missouri’s contact information to help connect customers to available resources.
Energy assistance is also available to Ameren Missouri customers who need help paying their bills. Visit AmerenMissouri.com/EnergyAssistance to find an agency and learn about all program options, including:
- org/AmerenAssistance– Clients are eligible for up to $600. Call 314.241.0001 for more information.
- Veterans Assistance– Active-duty military and veterans can receive up to $600 to help pay a past-due utility bill. Call 211 for details.
- Dollar More– Eligible customers can receive up to $600. Income eligibility has increased to 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL).
- Keeping Cool– Provides up to five bill credits of $50 each from May through September for income-eligible customers, including senior citizens, those with children under age 5, and individuals who have a documented chronic medical condition or disability.
- LIHEAP Summer Crisis Assistance– Eligible customers can receive up to $300.
- Flexible payment arrangements and payment agreements can also be made with Ameren Missouri.
About Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org
Cooldownstlouis.org is a bi-state nonprofit 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 38 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 1.3 million electric and 135,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company’s service area covers 60 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit Ameren.com/Missouri or follow us at @AmerenMissouri or Facebook.com/AmerenMissouri.