Energy Care: Caring for the St. Louis Community
by Tom Gardner

    The staff of EnergyCare, which helps low-income people with their heating and cooling needs, would like to remind readers that a variety of help is always welcomed. Here’s more about EnergyCare.
    The agency, founded in 1983 by Sister Patricia Kelley (Sister Pat), works to protect low-income, homebound people from seasonal extremes. This mainly involves looking out for the elderly and seriously ill or physically disabled adults and children, who are the most vulnerable to illness, hospitalization or death.
     When potential clients call EnergyCare’s year-round service, called Helpline, service providers counsel them about surviving their crisis. The providers furnish information about heating and cooling bill assistance programs. As funding is available, EnergyCare assists qualifying households that are delinquent on their gas and electric bills by making pledges to the utility company on their behalf. Most importantly, the counselors identify vulnerable people who need immediate relief.
     For people who are most in need of relief, service providers visit their homes promptly to assess the situation. Then, they can offer survival goods—air conditioners, portable electric heaters, blankets and home weatherization kits.  For older adults, the organization can arrange minor furnace repair.  Helpful advice is also provided on these visits:  how to prevent hypothermia (too cold) or hyperthermia (too hot), how to conserve energy, use a furnace safely and prevent fires.
     Since its founding, EnergyCare has successfully addressed the energy-related plight of more than 250,000 low-income people. The agency serves about 12,000 households in St. Louis city and county annually.
     In addition to cash contributions, EnergyCare accepts donations of new or used clean blankets and new or used (but working) 110-volt air conditioners (8,000 BTU or smaller).
     In the wakes of a deadly heat wave in the summer of 1980 and a devastating blizzard in 1982, Sister Patricia Ann Kelley founded EnergyCare. Her goal was to provide protection from the deadly seasonal hazards suffered by elderly, disabled and needy people
     As the founder, first president and executive director of EnergyCare, Sister Pat initiated projects that have warmed, cooled and educated low-income people who are most at risk of illness, hospitalization or death.
     A dynamic voice for poor people, Sister Pat earned the St. Louis Globe-Democrat’s Humanities Award in 1984 for her work on the local, state and national levels. In the 26-year history of the award, she was the only woman so honored. After her tragic death in 1987 her brother, Dennis Kelley, was appointed and continues to serve as Executive Director.  
     EnergyCare is a private, independent, nonprofit organization and is supported through the generosity of many individuals, corporations, foundations, civic and religious groups. Receiving no government or United Way funding, EnergyCare is a 501(c)(3) organization incorporated under the laws of the state of Missouri. Contributions to EnergyCare are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Improving lives by degrees…1983 - 2010