SALISBURY — The heat knows no boundaries. While the temperature steadily rises throughout the months of summer, residents all across North Carolina may experience a seasonal spike in their utilities.

It becomes especially difficult for impoverished individuals to afford cooling their homes for many reasons. Often, older homes are not insulated, leaving heat to seep through doors, roofs, and windows. Other times, it is simply just too expensive to weatherize homes and make them more energy efficient.

When individuals struggling to make ends meet are faced with lofty electric bills, they come to Rowan Helping Ministries for help. This month, Duke Energy has given Rowan Helping Ministries $5,661 to provide financial assistance to qualified senior citizens, families and other customers.

“Poverty does not take a summer vacation,” commented Kyna Grubb, executive director of Rowan Helping Ministries. Rowan Helping Ministries provides assistance in meeting basic human needs for those finding themselves in crisis in Rowan County.

Valerie Chambers, 64, and her husband Jonas, 57, of Rockwell, are both disabled with extensive medical bills. Vickie relies on an oxygen machine to get by each day but has found it difficult to pay her electricity bill with the seasonal increase. Without her oxygen, she has trouble breathing. In conjunction with Duke Energy and many generous donors, Rowan Helping Ministries is able to extend financial assistance to the Chambers so that they can keep their electricity on and maintain their health.

For the past 31 years, Duke Energy has partnered with more than 80 agencies in North Carolina to lend a hand to those struggling to pay their summer cooling energy bills. Headquartered in Charlotte, Duke Energy is one of the largest energy holding companies in the United States. Its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure business unit serves approximately 7.5 million customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. The company’s Gas Utilities and Infrastructure business unit distributes natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.

“Duke Energy is committed to providing affordable energy to all of our customers, but we know some struggle to keep their homes cool during the hot summer months,” said David Fountain, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “We’re proud to support energy assistance programs that provide a meaningful benefit for thousands across the Carolinas.”

Together, Duke Energy and Rowan Helping Ministries are paving a path to help break the cycle of crisis and get our struggling neighbors back on their feet.