By Kevin Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Some St. Louis area clergy are making a public appeal to help people struggling to pay high heating bills.
A diverse group of faith leaders is asking more than 2,000 congregations to take up special collections for Heat Up St. Louis, the regional non-profit that provides home heating grants.
Despite growing demand, the agency's fundraising is down some 30 percent. The Reverend Earl Nance, Jr. says donations have slowed considerably since the tsunami disaster.
"The well has run dry as people have given to so many other emergency causes," Nance said. "Well, being without heating can be an emergency on your health and the safety of others."
The group hopes to raise $20,000 between now and Sunday.