Spring Brings Little Relief for Thousands Unable to Pay Winter Heating Bills
Dollar-Help introduces online donation option to boost fundraising.
St. Louis (April 12, 2007) - Despite spring's promise of warmer temperatures, area families who struggled to pay for heat this winter now face the cold reality of delinquent energy bills. The region's leading heating assistance program, Dollar-Help, Inc., warns that many of the area's elderly and handicapped residents are frequently hit hardest.
"Our low-income clients are on a fixed budget and high winter energy bills can be devastating," said Dennis Kelley, president of Dollar-Help. "Ironically, springtime is when the pressure is highest - bills are past due and the situation can be overwhelming."
Dollar-Help, which has been providing assistance to the most vulnerable for 25 years, relies on contributions from Laclede Gas customers, and is now accepting credit card donations on its Web site to address the need.
This past winter was particularly difficult due to colder than normal temperatures. According to the National Weather Service, February's average high temperature was nearly 10 degrees colder than February of 2006. January temperatures showed a similar pattern, with this year's median temperature of 34.1 degrees Fahrenheit versus 42.3 degrees in January 2006.
Local social service agencies are seeing a surge in applications for heating assistance. "We continue to be flooded with requests for assistance, and unfortunately the federal funding we received so far has been exhausted. The need is phenomenal. Many people are in a very difficult situation," said Rich Krueger, energy assistance coordinator for the Community Action Agency of St. Louis County (CAASTLC).
Krueger said his agency is currently receiving 20 to 25 new requests for heating assistance every day, and 45 to 60 requests daily from families that received help earlier this winter and now need additional assistance.
Social service agencies such as CAASTLC receive funding each year from sources including the federal Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and its Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP). Once these funds run out, the agencies tap into Dollar-Help funds. At this time, most of the area agencies have used up the available funding from the federal programs, as well as Dollar-Help allocations.
"We need funding now more than at any other time of the year," said Kelley. "We are appealing to the public to help our neighbors throughout Eastern Missouri by supporting Dollar-Help. Everyone who wants to help can make an online contribution at www.dollarhelp.org, or check a red box on their Laclede Gas bill to make a monthly donation of $1, $2 or $5."
Kelley emphasized that every dollar contributed to Dollar-Help goes directly to assist those in need. Dollar-Help grants are used to pay the heating bills of those with an average annual household income of about $6,500. The grants pay the household's primary heating source, whether it is natural gas, propane, electricity or fuel oil.
So far this fiscal year, Dollar-Help has disbursed an estimated $650,000 to needy households. Last year, in the nine counties it serves, Dollar-Help disbursed more than $843,000 to 2,200 families.