ST. LOUIS – As we experience one of the hottest weeks of the year, Cool Down St. Louis founder Gentry Trotter is reminding people to check on their neighbors.
“Check on them, because they don’t always tell the truth,” he said. “You need to let them know you care, but also to feel them to make sure their body temperature is fine. Make sure they did have the AC on. That the house is cool.”
Trotter says the need for assistance with cooling and heating bills is up.
“That’s critical to go (to cooldownstlouis.org) instead of calling us because the lines are jammed. But we answer our phones. But in the end, that tells you climate change is real,” he said.
The nonprofit organization even has assistance cards to help you decide what to say to a neighbor. Besides being friendly and knocking on a door, Trotter recommends checking AC units—yours and theirs—and making sure they’re working with good service.
Cool Down St. Louis assists people in need in 44 counties, on both sides of the river.
Utility companies cannot disconnect service during heatwaves, but Cool Down St. Louis says you have to contact your utility company and CoolDownStLouis.org for assistance.