Rise and Shine for Heat Fundraiser Sets New Record

Heat-Up St. Louis, Inc. held its 20th annual Rise and Shine for Heat fundraiser in February and raised a record $705,000 – nearly doubling its $400,000 goal. Ameren Missouri once again continued its partnership with the charity dedicated to helping the elderly, disabled, and needy keep the heat on.

More than 100 Ameren employees joined the drove of volunteers collecting donations at Hardee’s restaurants across the St. Louis metro region. 

“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,” said Reverend Earl E. Nance, Jr., corporate treasurer and general chairperson for Heat-Up St. Louis. 

Through Ameren Missouri’s Energy Outreach Program, the utility company also contributed $300,000 to Heat-Up St. Louis. That donation is part of a larger, multi-year effort to provide energy assistance and long-term energy-efficiency solutions to low- and limited-income customers.

“There is a definite need for energy assistance in the communities that we serve," said Tara Oglesby, vice president of Customer Experience at Ameren Missouri. "Heat-Up St. Louis and Heat-Up Missouri do a great job of making certain the resources raised during this event are used in the right way and reach those that need them most."

Ameren works closely with Heat-Up St. Louis in addressing utility, energy efficiency, payment, and safety concerns. The charity is critical in helping supplement the funding sources available for those in need. 

All of Heat-Up St. Louis’ proceeds are used to help St. Louis area elderly, disabled, and needy families with their delinquent heating bills. The charity’s mission is to provide utility counsel, referrals, heat (winter) and cooling (summer) grants to restore a primary home heating source during the winter and assist with air-conditioners, and payments on high electric bills in the summer for at-risk households.

Heat-Up St. Louis has partner agencies that span different parts of Missouri: Central MO Community Action Agency, South Central Missouri Community Action Agency, East Missouri Action Agency, DAEOC (Southeast Missouri action agency), and many more. Check out all of the partner agencies at heatupstlouis.org.