A man rests in the shade on a hot day in Tucson.
Tucson cooling centers are providing relief for the city’s homeless population amid summertime heat warnings and monsoon activity.
Many centers have seen an increase in homeless visitors due to the Tucson heat. The St. Francis Shelter Director Carl Zawatski says they go through around 250 bottles of water and 80 sack lunches a day.
“People, when they think of homeless, the first thing they envision is the homeless laying on the grates in the Chicago winters. But our heat in Arizona is just as bad as the cold in Chicago, and people don’t realize that, and we take it for granted,” Zawatski said. “We run from our air-conditioned house to our air-conditioned car.”
Zawatski said centers were overwhelmed during the summer heat warnings. Sister Jose Women’s shelter operations coordinator Peggy Buckley said the nonprofit expanded its services to accommodate up to 40 overnight visitors.
“The response was immediate. The word is out and the women that know we’re here,” Buckley said. “During our daytime program, we’re seeing between 70 and 80 people a day coming in for respite.”
Both shelters are always looking for volunteers and donations. Things like cases of water, hats, sandals and sunscreen are always needed during the summer months.
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