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NORTH ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
"Heat Up St. Louis" likes to think about Superbowl Sunday as a day for football, faith, and fundraising. The agency helps people pay heating bills they can't afford. It kicked off the tenth year of a special religious campaign Sunday, and while the campaign has been done before, Heat Up St. Louis says 2010 is different.
With song and prayer and praise, a warm spirit filled the sanctuary of the Greater Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church. The pews were full, the people were passionate. But at home there could be a different story: a cold, sad story.
"There are so many people doing without medicine and without food," said Wellston City Councilwoman and church member Helen Jackson. "They're paying utility bills as far as 409 dollars. I have one I can show to you."
The Reverend Earl Nance, Jr, chair of the drive, spoke to his congregation with passion.
"No one should have to make those kind of decisions between heating and eating." "Amen," they replied.
With another winter storm moving in, another awful wave of deep freeze bearing down on his congregation, the reverend asked them to dig deap. And they did. The collection trays were so full, they had to be emptied out several times. The special offering was a success.
Well a lot of them couldnt even afford that," said Jackson. "Theyre doing without to help someone else.
Religious homes across St. Louis will spend the next 30 days taking in special donations for Heat Up.
"A person thats not even a member of this church, just lives in the neighborhood, heard about our collection drive, walked in here, and they had a money order for us."
"I have people come up to me and say in the previous years they've helped Heat Up St. Louis, but now they need help. They lost a job or have been laid off, or downsized."
"You never know. The next person in need might be you."
With song and prayer and praise, a warm spirit filled the sanctuary of the Greater Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church. The pews were full, the people were passionate. But at home there could be a different story: a cold, sad story.
"There are so many people doing without medicine and without food," said Wellston City Councilwoman and church member Helen Jackson. "They're paying utility bills as far as 409 dollars. I have one I can show to you."
The Reverend Earl Nance, Jr, chair of the drive, spoke to his congregation with passion.
"No one should have to make those kind of decisions between heating and eating." "Amen," they replied.
With another winter storm moving in, another awful wave of deep freeze bearing down on his congregation, the reverend asked them to dig deap. And they did. The collection trays were so full, they had to be emptied out several times. The special offering was a success.
Well a lot of them couldnt even afford that," said Jackson. "Theyre doing without to help someone else.
Religious homes across St. Louis will spend the next 30 days taking in special donations for Heat Up.
"A person thats not even a member of this church, just lives in the neighborhood, heard about our collection drive, walked in here, and they had a money order for us."
"I have people come up to me and say in the previous years they've helped Heat Up St. Louis, but now they need help. They lost a job or have been laid off, or downsized."
"You never know. The next person in need might be you."
