A central Iowa nonprofit group is asking for donations of air conditioners and fans to help with emergency cooling services this summer.
IMPACT provides resources for low-income Iowans, but its federal funding has nearly run out as heat indexes are reaching triple digits across much of the state.
The group’s Paula Arkema says they’re trying to keep up with demand, but funding for all services is stretched thin due to rising needs, and a rising heat index.
“It’s just simply unsafe to be in their homes with temperatures like this,” Arkema says, “but it can be expensive to afford even the simplest items like a fan, or even a window conditioner.”
Arkema says rising costs for all sorts of goods are being reflected in people’s need for assistance.
“We’re just seeing that the demand for assistance is exceeding the resources that we have available,” she says.
AC units and fans can be dropped off at any of the 11 fire stations in the Des Moines Metro.
(By Maura Curran, Iowa Public Radio)