On Wednesday, June 14, Ameren Missouri traveled to the Samaritan Center in Jefferson City for their annual air conditioner giveaway day.
The giveaway is designed to help vulnerable neighborhoods stay cool now that the temperature is getting warmer in mid-Missouri.
Ameren Missouri, which has provided gas and energy services to the state for over 100 years, donated 100 Energy Star rated window air conditioners to the Samaritan Center. These ACs cost less than a dollar a day to use.
“Since the Samaritan Center already has a great relationship with the community and the surrounding towns in Jefferson City, we saw them as a logical partner with the AC giveaway because they reach out to those in need in our communities,” Lori Hoelscher, Ameren Regional Account Executive, said.
The Samaritan Center is an interfaith organization that was started by Marylyn DeFoe, who is now the director, 37 years ago. Since then, it has been run out of a basement, a classroom, a convent and now the current location. Everything at the Samaritan Center’s main building and warehouse was donated by people or organizations within the community.
“Our main focus is to help people who are struggling through life,” DeFoe said. “As you know we’ve had so many struggles with COVID and so many things happening in the last three to five years. We’ve gone through the floods and all kinds of stuff here in Missouri, but we just keep going and help people out.”
The donation celebrates the 23rd anniversary of Cooldownmissouri.org’s “Save our Seniors” (SOS) Cooling Summer Project. Ameren Missouri has partnered with this project for 18 years this year.
Over the almost two decades of partnership, Ameren Missouri has helped deliver almost 10,000 window ACs to seniors, people with disabilities and low-to-moderate income families.
“I just know working with people over the years, people are grateful to just have an air conditioner in their homes because there’s no way they can afford it on fixed incomes,” DeFoe said.
These communities are encouraged to apply for energy assistance funds by visiting Cooldownmissouri.org or by calling 314-241-0001 or 314-834-0034, which are their hotlines for seniors and people with disabilities only.
Cooldownstlouis.org is a bistate nonprofit that provides education and resources to help vulnerable citizens, especially seniors, low-income families and the physically disabled. The organization works with over 34 agencies to make sure utility bills are paid and the community’s citizens have access to energy-efficient air conditioners.
“We want to encourage, especially our elderly in our community, to run the AC units because they only cost a couple of dollars a day, and it’s on those days when it’s extremely hot that we want our customers, friends and neighbors to stay safe in the heat,” Hoelscher said.
The Samaritan Center offers other services, like food and clothing pickups, medical and dental clinics, legal care programs, tax assistance and more. The pantry hours are Monday-Thursday 10:00 a.m. – Noon and Thursday 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.