ST. LOUIS — Heat Up St. Louis officials are encouraging members of the public to remember the organization when it comes to holiday donations.
In St. Louis, Ollie Stewart is executive director of Southside Wellness Center. In that role, she is in touch with hundreds of community members.
“Everybody wants to stay warm,” said Stewart. “Sure, they are concerned. Nobody wants to be sitting in a cold house. They are concerned that with a fixed income, they won’t be able to pay their utility bills.”
Heat Up St. Louis, which now goes by heatupstlouis.org, has been helping St. Louis residents since 2000. Founder Gentry W. Trotter said back then the organization had 10 board members. Now they have 67 board members.
And heatupstlouis.org is not just for St. Louis.
Trotter said the organization now helps people in 44 counties in Missouri and Illinois.
“There is a myth that the need is only in the urban areas,” said Trotter. “That is wrong. It’s wrong in the fact that 28 percent of those people in the last month or two came from south county and St. Charles and Belleville. We’re seeing people who have never used our services before. We’re here to help everybody.”
Trotter said heatupstlouis.org has impacted lives of 1.7 million in metropolitan area.
To donate, go to heatupstlouis.org.