How to Beat the Heat on the Street

by Shannon Moriarty · 2009-06-27 19:32:00 UTC
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When your home is the streets, surviving the elements can be a daily battle. In the winter, extreme cold temperatures too often prove deadly. Unfortunately, the same goes for the summer. During a severe heat wave in Phoenix during the summer of 2005, 28 homeless people died over a two week period because of heat-related causes.

Today, organizations in heat-prone cities are working to prevent these unnecessary deaths with simple, low-cost remedies. The Extreme Heat Project in Phoenix, for example, provides water, sun block, and hats to anyone who asks (homeless or not). They set up "hydration stations" throughout the city and encourage the homeless to stay hydrated,  according to the AZcentral:

"It really came out of need," said Maj. Brian Jones , who oversees the Salvation Army at 241 E. Sixth St. in Mesa. "So many people who come in for social services have been out in the heat. A lot of them look dehydrated."

If you're looking for a unique way to serve the unhoused in your community this summer, consider starting a similar effort in your community. You might just save a life this summer.

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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