Whether it’s by choice or a lack of resources, approximately 1 percent of Wake County’s energy customers don’t have air conditioning, according to Progress Energy.

“You’ve got to think that’s at least 50,000 people,” said Denise Kissel, who serves as the community resource development specialist for Wake County where she helps operate a Cool for Wake program.

The program allows people who qualify to get free box fans. To qualify for the free fans people must already use county services such as public housing and have either children under 12 or seniors over 60 living in the home.

The need for assistance during the heat “is usually income based,” Kissel said, referring to some 250 people countywide have already used the Cool for Wake program this summer.

An example of the need is North Carolina does not require public housing complexes to be built with air conditioning, therefore most of them are not.

“More people than you think don’t have air-conditioning,” said 15-year-old Caroline Smith. Smith, along with other members of her Cary Girl Scout troop, is collecting fans for those without air conditioning this summer.

The troop gives the fans to Thomas Allen of Allen’s Transportation Service who then distributes them to those in need and the Helping Hand Mission.

Rebecca Spell, executive director of Western Wake Crisis Ministry, said that older people and young children are often the first ones to suffer in extreme heat because their bodies are not as tolerant to the heat.

That’s why the crisis ministry, which operates completely with volunteer donations, will distribute fans to people if the ministry receives donations of fans.

For people who have air conditioning but can’t afford the steep summer bills, Spell said that WWCM has provided educational points for its clients according to where they set their thermostat.

Progress Energy’s Web site states that for maximum low-cost efficiency people should set their thermostats at 78 degrees during the summer and 68 during the winter.

“Right there you save hundreds of dollars,” Spell said of what people can do if they set their thermostats correctly.

For more information on donating fans call Thomas Allen at 610-3285.