As summer approaches, shifting temperatures can prove dangerous for Northern Kentucky’s most vulnerable residents, which is why local organizations are getting ready to provide relief to Northern Kentucky’s vulnerable residents.
St. Vincent De Paul is a long-standing nonprofit organization dedicated to helping those in need. Its 25-year-old Summer Breeze program provides air conditioners to people with documented life-threatening illnesses and box fans to anyone in need of heat relief.
The nonprofit accepts doctor’s notes in exchange for air conditioning units for those with conditions like COPD or asthma. The program runs from June 1 through Aug. 31, and is one of the only heat relief programs in the region.
The program is part of a partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare and Agnes Nordloh Charitable Trust. Since its inception, nearly 9,000 air conditioners and fans have been distributed.
In 2022, St. Elizabeth pulmonologist Chaitanya Mandapakala spoke to local media about the program’s benefits to her patients.
“Every patient responds to the rising summer temperatures and humidity levels differently,” Mandapakala said. “As a clinician, I often see patients negatively impacted from seasonal changes, which can lead to hospitalization or other long-term effects. It’s important that individuals who struggle to thrive during hotter weather have access to cool, clean air. Unfortunately, this is a health care disparity that is not often considered or addressed. The Summer Breeze initiative is quite literally saving the lives of our friends, family and neighbors.”
Karen Zengel, executive director of St. Vincent De Paul in Northern Kentucky, said utility assistance is a key program during the summer months, as is the ability to access appropriate clothing. Zengel said the organization provides both assistance with utility bills and clothing vouchers so people can stay cool and safe during the summer.
Last summer, the nonprofit provided 378 people with air conditioners and/or fans. They served 44,000 people in Northern Kentucky last year – 6,400 of them with emergency rent and utility assistance amounting to $780,000; 22,000 received food and 780 beds were provided to children, seniors and the disabled.
Though it’s one of the few, St. Vincent de Paul isn’t the only nonprofit fighting to keep bodies cool during heat waves.
The Brighton Center distributes box fans and provides utility assistance to those in need, though they can only do so when donations rise to the challenge, said Community Resource Center Director Eric Owsley.
Other centers try to give relief in other ways. In Boone County, Florence Christian Church operates a no-questions-asked food pantry twice a month, as well as a shower and laundry facility.
Located at 300 Main St. in Florence, the church offers large, handicap-accessible bathrooms four days a week, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to anyone without access to running water. The facilities are private and available for up to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, individuals can have clothes washed, dried, and returned to them within 24 hours.
“People experiencing homelessness often seem more vulnerable when the temperatures dip below 32 degrees,” said Outreach Minister Rev. Melissa Stephens. “But hot summer days are just as life threatening, and perhaps even more so, considering many of our shower guests suffer from heart disease, respiratory issues and edema (swollen legs and feet). All of these conditions are exacerbated in the heat.”
At Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Lakeside Park, those in need are often found through other programs offered at the church. Pastor Louisa Umphreys said the church opens itself as a help center in the heart of a low-income area to host support groups for those battling addiction. Umphreys said when they hear of a need they can’t resolve within the church, folks are connected to the Safety Net Alliance at the Brighton Center or Kentucky Refugee Ministries.
“The one thing churches do well is to remember people’s dignity and spiritual health. We look them in the eye and let them know we are all in this struggle together,” Umphreys said.
To those who are out of reach of assistance through an organization but still struggling to afford their air conditioning bill, Duke Energy Spokesperson Sally Thelen said they offer a free house call program that advises low-cost or no-cost changes to help lower energy bills.
Thelen said Duke also offers installment plans to help pay for past due bills. She added that customers who need assistance can use up to $300 annually of the Share the Light Fund – a donation-driven service that helps pay for customer bills when they can’t afford it themselves. It’s administered through the NKY Community Action Commission and income-restricted, so household income must be at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty line to use it.
Side bar of resources:
Local resources to beat the heat
St. Vincent De Paul
2655 Crescent Springs Road, Erlanger
Open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(859) 341-3219
Safety Net Alliance at the Brighton Center
799 Ann St., Newport
Open Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
(859) 491-8303
Kentucky Refugee Ministries
Located in the Hellmann Creative Center
321 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Covington
Open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(859) 547-5571
Florence Christian Church
300 Main St., Florence
Showers open Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Food pantry: second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 2:30 p.m.
Go online to 211.org or dial 211 to connect with other organizations
