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Commerce supports Heat Up St. Louis efforts to save lives this winter.

At Commerce Bank, we believe our success is defined not only by our ability to help people meet their financial challenges, but also by the mark we leave on the world. That’s why we are deeply involved in our communities and consistently seek opportunities to make a difference.

Our support for Heat Up St. Louis is one example of this mindset. Heat Up St. Louis is a nonprofit that helps low-income residents of the St. Louis region pay their energy bills. When the nonprofit’s leadership approached Commerce to be their banking partner, the response was enthusiastic.

“For us, it was a partnership that made perfect sense,” says Bob Holmes, chairman and chief executive officer, Commerce Bank – St. Louis. “Heat Up St. Louis helps our neighbors, who are important to us. We’re grateful for the opportunity to support their work in a meaningful way.”

Heat Up St. Louis’ key fundraising event is Hardee’s Rise & Shine for Heat, an annual campaign that generates donations in several ways. Participating Hardee’s restaurants offer customers biscuit sandwiches for a day at a special price of $1, and all proceeds from those sales go to the nonprofit. Volunteers also are on hand at the restaurants to collect cash donations in the drive-through lanes. This year’s event, which marks its 25th anniversary in 2025, is scheduled for Friday, February 14.

Last year was Commerce’s first year of involvement with Rise & Shine. “Many of our team members bought biscuit sandwiches to take to our business clients as a gesture of goodwill,” says Molly Hyland, Commerce’s Director of Community and Government Relations. “We also had more than 40 team members volunteer to spend time at a local Hardee’s restaurant on Rise & Shine Day to collect donations from customers. That was one of the largest one-day volunteer events we’ve ever had, and we expect to play a big role in it again this year.”

While the Rise & Shine event is just a single day, anyone interested in donating to Heat Up St. Louis can do so anytime by either visiting a Commerce Bank branch — where donations made by check or money order will go directly into Heat Up St. Louis’ account — or by donating directly on the nonprofit’s website Heat Up St. Louis link opens in a new window.

Gentry Trotter, the founder of Heat Up St. Louis, says the support of organizations and individuals is an important element of the nonprofit’s ability to assist people in need. “Financial and volunteer support is key to keeping charities like Heat Up St. Louis alive and growing,” says Trotter, “As a bank partner, Commerce employees are the cornerstone of our annual Rise & Shine event by volunteering that day to raise funds to help area residents heat their homes in the winter and cool them in the summer.”

Hyland adds that the bank’s involvement with Heat Up St. Louis has matured in its second year. “We’ve learned a lot, which gives us an opportunity to lean into the campaign even more in 2025,” she says. “We’ve had a great response from our team members, many of whom are very interested in helping in one way or another.”

As Hyland notes, Heat Up St. Louis’ work is crucial, since winter in the Midwest can be a challenging time for residents who can’t afford to heat their homes properly. “This campaign saves lives,” she says. “It provides a way for St. Louisans to stay warm. Without the support from this program, people might otherwise turn to unsafe ways to warm their homes, like using space heaters or lighting fires in fireplaces that haven’t been adequately maintained.”

Providing that kind of support is a core element of the Commerce culture, says Holmes. “We are tied to the communities where we live and work, and we believe in keeping our communities strong,” he adds. “It’s important to us to support organizations that are making a difference in the lives of our neighbors, and we’re proud to collaborate with a nonprofit like Heat Up St. Louis, which has such a tremendous positive impact.”

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