Area residents are receiving relief from the dangerous summer heat thanks to various organizations and public and private donations.
Ameren Missouri donated 50 air conditioners to the Samaritan Center in Jefferson City on Wednesday for distribution to its eligible low-income and elderly clients. On the same day, the National Weather Service issued a heat advisory with a high temperature of 99 degrees. Throughout Missouri, the utility company gave away 640 air-conditioning units.
Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA), an organization serving low-income individuals, assists residents in its eight-county coverage area with Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) funds from the federal government. ECIP is a subset of the Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program, which also provides heating assistance.
The money only goes to residents who are in jeopardy of electricity disconnection or have already been disconnected. The funds pay for the amount of the past due electricity bill up to $300.
ECIP money totaled to $287,826. The state also provided $36,922 through its Utilicare program this year to supplement the federal dollars. In the first week, CMCA pledged nearly 50 percent of the funds and has given out about 60 percent to date.
CMCA has administered 22.5 percent of its ECIP funds to Cole County residents. Boone County has the largest percentage with 44 percent.
As of Wednesday afternoon, CMCA has made 175 pledges at $44,161. The percentage of Cole County pledges is low at 17 percent compared to Boone County at 54 percent, said Christine Lindsey, CMCA energy program manager. This means Cole County residents are using more money per pledge.
Cole County's pledge average is $252, and Boone County's average is about $100 less at $154.
Lindsey said the cooling assistance money typically runs out by the first week of July. Because the state provided funds this year, she estimates the dollars will last until the second or third week of July. The program runs until the end of September.
She added low-income residents who are considering shutting off their air conditioning should call CMCA to see if they qualify for assistance.
The Jefferson City Salvation Army is also giving out fans through local drives. Fans can be brought to or purchased at Westlake Ace Hardware. Clients already receiving assistance from the organization or those who call in typically receive the fans, said Lt. Christopher White with the Salvation Army.
He said the organization collected so many fans last year it was able to give out more than 60 at the beginning of the summer.
"That was really good because it got so hot quite quickly this year," he said.
The Salvation Army, 927 Jefferson St., is open as a cooling center when the temperature is 95 degrees and above or a heat advisory is in effect. Populations vulnerable to the heat are the elderly and children ages 5 and under.
To stay cool, Lindsey said to shut blinds, turn off lights and wear lighter clothing.
For more information on cooling assistance, contact CMCA at 573-443-1100 or toll free at 1-800-573-3637.