The Facts about Dollar-Help
Dollar-Help, a not-for-profit corporation, was founded in 1982.
Dollar-Help’s service area includes St. Louis City and nine counties in Eastern Missouri (St. Louis County, St. Charles, Franklin, Jefferson, Iron, Butler, Madison, Ste. Genevieve, St. Francois).
Since its inception, Dollar-Help has raised more than $16 million. 100% of all money raised goes directly to help the needy.
Dollar-Help grants are used to pay the heating bills of the poorest of the poor, those who have exhausted all forms of public assistance. The grants pay the household’s primary heating source, whether it is natural gas, propane, electricity or fuel oil. Dollar-Help’s winter heating program runs from November 1 to May 31. Since 2002, Dollar-Help has also offered an "interim" (non-heating season) program from July to late October. This program is designed to help families and older adults keep their heating utility service year-round, avoiding the trauma of disconnection due to inability to pay.
During Fiscal Year 2008 (July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008) Dollar-Help disbursed over $1.3 million to the less fortunate.
- In St. Louis City and County, Dollar-Help disbursed more than $832,927.
- In Butler County, Dollar-Help disbursed more than $97,322.
- In Jefferson County, Dollar-Help disbursed more than $51,177.
- In St. Charles County, Dollar-Help disbursed more than $80,761.
- In Ste. Genevieve, Madison, St. Francois and Iron Counties, Dollar-Help disbursed more than $117,781.
- In Franklin County, Dollar-Help disbursed more than $138,748.
Dollar-Help grants are awarded on an as-needed basis by local social-service agencies using Dollar-Help’s guidelines. Grants can range as high as $700 per household under certain circumstances. Grants of up to $300 are normally provided. However, when a special medical, housing or financial crisis exists, additional grants of up to $400 are available. Grants are limited to one per household per fiscal year (July 1 to June 30).
All of the funds that Dollar-Help receives benefit low-income families and older adults. By working with partners such as Laclede Gas, which donates administrative services, and local community service agencies, which disburse the funds, Dollar-Help has no overhead and administrative costs in order to focus its resources on helping low-income families and older adults.
Approximately 90% of Dollar-Help’s total receipts are donations from Laclede Gas customers who "Check the Red Box" and choose to contribute $1, $2, or $5 to become regular monthly donors or who occasionally overpay their gas bill by exactly $1.
More than 67,000 Laclede customers contribute to Dollar-Help through the automatic giving option, a plan that enables Laclede customers to make regular monthly donations by having the amounts they specify added to their gas bill. More than $859,721.00 was contributed by these generous donors in the Laclede service area.
In addition to the contributions made by others, Laclede Gas Company donated $54,000 in matching funds during FY 2008.
There are five ways to contribute to Dollar-Help:
- Check a Red Box on your natural gas bill: This authorizes Laclede Gas to automatically add a $1, $2 or $5 contribution to your gas bill every month.
- Automatic Giving: Log on to www.dollarhelp.org or call Laclede Gas to automatically give more than $1 per month.
- Overpayment of $1: Overpay your Laclede Gas bill by $1, and that amount will automatically go to Dollar-Help.
- Bequests: Include Dollar-Help in your will by making a bequest to Dollar-Help, Inc.
- Anyone May Give: Make a direct contribution by sending a check to Dollar-Help, Inc., c/o Cass Bank, P.O. Box 330, St. Louis, MO 63166.
Donations are tax-deductible.