A snowy, blustery day, much like Tuesday, prompts most people to turn on their heat without much thought. For some, however, that option is not possible.

Culver’s Restaurant is teaming up with the ISU men’s basketball team in an effort to give some relief to the less fortunate in its “Day of Warmth.”

Culver’s is donating 10 percent of Tuesday’s profits to the Mid-Iowa Community Action Inc., a nonprofit organization. The donation will go to those who struggle to pay their utility bills.

Pat O’Dell, owner of the Culver’s at 525 Gilchrist St., said he approached the basketball team to help because of previous experiences with it.

“They usually stop in and eat before their away games,” O’Dell said. “We approached [Coach Wayne Morgan] with it, and he said he’d be happy to help the community any way they can.”

Junior guard Curtis Stinson said the team was more than happy to take part in the promotion, especially considering some of the team members’ roots.

“We do [community service] whenever we get a chance to,” Stinson said.

“Some of us come from rough areas, so we know how it is to get along with what you have. To get them some money … is a good thing.”

Dave DeValois, public information coordinator for MICA, said the “Day of Warmth” program serves people in Hardin, Marshall, Poweshiek, Story and Tama counties.

“They need to be qualified as far as their income levels, and then we base it on need,” DeValois said. “What this money will go for is to help people repair or replace a broken furnace, and also to avoid utility shutoff or to resume service following a shutoff.”

DeValois also said most of MICA’s activities are performed through the Low-income Home Energy Assistance program, which is designed for people who are at or below a 150 percent poverty level.

Those levels include one person making a yearly salary of $14,355, or a family of four making $29,025.

“They fill out paper work and receive a one-time payment,” DeValois said.

Last year’s payments averaged $321, which goes directly toward the payment of utilities. In Story County, there were just more than 1,000 applications, and approximately 900 were granted.

The basketball team was primarily there to help draw customers into the restaurant.

Forward Jessan Gray said the team was happy to help in whatever way possible.

“Helping out the community is a great thing to do,” he said. “It just feels good to give back.”

The charitable cause was being run through Culver’s stores across the nation, and it is one O’Dell said is important for needy families throughout the U.S.

“I feel it’s very important, especially with the rising costs this year,” he said. “It’s just something everybody can relate to. We all know somebody out there that struggles with the bills. The more we can do to help, the better off they will be.”

Stinson agreed on the importance of Tuesday’s “Day of Warmth.”

“It’s definitely something important to me,” Stinson said. “You often see little kids that need things, and some of us have been in that situation, so it’s always a good thing to help out the people, and just to give back to the community is the best thing.”