Free fans and cooling assistance in Kansas City.
When extreme summer heat hits, Kansas City Power and Light will often distribute free fans to the low income and people who are most vulnerable. The fans are intended to provide short term relied from the summer heat. A number of other financial assistance programs are also offered during the summer for paying cooling and electric bills.
In most cases, the American Red Cross will partner with Kansas City Power and Light to provide hundreds of free fans, with a focus on seniors over 65 years of age and low income families with young children. The vast majority of the fans will be provided within the greater Kansas City metropolitan area.
While a number of conditions do need to be met by individuals, potential applicants can learn more about the terms, or request a free fan, by dialing the Kansas City American Red Cross at 841-5234. The phone number is available 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Please leave your name, phone number and address, and a representative from the Red Cross will call you back.
They will review your situation, and determine if you are qualified. If so, they will schedule a time convenient to you and the delivery service for a fan to be brought to you. Or there may be the ability to pick up the unit. The individual who is applying for help must be at home when the fan is delivered during your agreed upon time.
A number of volunteers work with Kansas City Power and Light as well as the American Red Cross to deliver the fans to seniors and other qualified individuals. Most of the funding for the program will come from KCP&L, so therefore the person receiving the fan will not be charged anything for the service.
If someone doesn’t qualify for the unit, they still have other options for staying cool during the summer. For example, Kansas City Power and Light may be able to provide financial assistance for paying air conditioning or cooling bills. Some of those options may include LIHEAP, payment plans, or programs from non-profits across the city.
To learn more about some of these other cooling bill and summer assistance programs, it is recommended you call KCP&L or your local community action agency. These organizations will often be able to refer individuals to programs and local resources. Some programs may even be able to distribute gently used air conditioners or help repair existing units.
Other places to turn to for help during the hot summer weather can include the Salvation Army in Kansas City or a local church. Some of these charities and non-profits may open so called cooling centers when the weather is extremely hot.
The American Red Cross, KCP&L, its employees, and other regional non-profits are all committed to improving life of the less fortunate and people facing a hardship in the communities they serve. This is one of the primary reasons that they offer assistance during the summer. These various agencies are very excited about their partnerships and programs such as free fan distribution. During the extreme summer heat that the Kansas City region can sometimes face, the safety of their customers and people who are most at risk is a top priority.
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