Community effort brings heat relief to vulnerable Mid-Missourians

COLUMBIA MO. (KMIZ)

The Salvation Army hosted its annual fan drive on Thursday, giving away 190 free fans to the public.

The group said the donation was a community effort, with partners at the Westlake ACE Hardware donating the fans to the Salvation Army for distribution. The drive comes as temperatures have started to rise across Mid-Missouri, with air temperatures remaining in the low-90s throughout the rest of this week and the heat index eclipsing 100 degrees.

Nancy Powers, a core officer with the Salvation Army, said the goal of Tuesday's event was to be able to help people stay cool in the summer heat.

"What we are folks that maybe don't have air conditioning or maybe can't afford to turn on their air conditioning, really need in these hot, hot days some air moving around," Powers said.

Powers noted for many residents, the fear of a high utility bill outweighs the discomfort of the heat.

"A lot of folks don’t dare turn air conditioning on because they just can’t cover that expense, or they may just have air conditioning in that one room," Power said.

Powers added that Tuesday's drive was critical, as utility and rent assistance are in high demand.

“Utility and rent assistants are iis in high demand, and most agencies are either out or running very low on these kinds of assistance," she said.

Earlier this year, the City of Columbia ran out of its $800,000 assistance fund that goes to help people pay for their utility bills. While the city ran out, other organizations like the Central Missouri Community Action Group have other resources to help bridge the gap.

Specifically, the initiative provides struggling families with up to $300 per season to help with seasonal energy costs. Even with the extra money, Brooke Eskridge, the Director of Family & Community Services, said that it may not be enough to fully cover all expenses.

Eskridge added a growing number of people maxing out assistance funds, adding the group can only pay for people's utility bills after all other expenses are paid off.

“We can't pay any non-electrical charges, so people have to pay their trash and sewer, and then we can pledge on the electric portion of it. If that’s $310, then they have to pay the $10 before we can pay the $300," she said.

When it comes to what other resources are available, Eskridge said that the CMCA also has a team of people who are ready to help.

“We have what are called public family success coaches here at CMCA, and those are individuals who can work closely with a family that is willing to sit down and go through their situation. Oftentimes when we call on their behalf, we can get a bit further," she said.

Officials at the Salvation Army said if you are struggling to pay utility bills, the best way is to get ahead and reach out to the utility companies.

They add that companies are willing to put people on budgets or payment plans, adding that you should seek assistance early rather than wait for the bills to pile up.

Additionally, the Salvation Army says that all of their facilities operate as cooling centers for individuals who might not have air conditioning to come and cool down in their buildings.