Cool Down St. Louis

This weekend, temperatures across the region could reach as high as 105 degrees. St. Louis and St. Louis County have set up cooling shelters, utility assistance programs and community centers to protect senior citizens, children and the homeless from the heat.

Utility companies and nonprofits in the St. Louis region saw a dramatic increase in need for energy bill assistance over the summer. Now leaders are concerned about how people will afford staying warm this winter.

St. Louis and St. Louis County officials have pledged millions in federal dollars to help pay utility bills. About 150,000 people in the St. Louis region have had trouble paying utility bills during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the nonprofit Cool Down St. Louis.

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, July 9, 2012 - The first major heat wave of the summer arrived with more intensity and earlier than…

The organization that provides air conditioners to seniors and the disabled in St. Louis during summer months says it’s getting some financial help.Cool…