The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) will activate 11 heat relief stations throughout the Valley – where anyone in need can go for indoor cooling and hydration – during an Excessive Heat Warning issued by the National Weather Service for Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 30 and 31.
Since May, The Salvation Army has provided heat relief to more than 47,000 people in Arizona and given out over 116,000 bottles of water.
Anyone is welcome into a Salvation Army location for indoor cooling and hydration during regular operating hours, but when the National Weather Service issues an Excessive Heat Warning, The Salvation Army considers it a disaster situation and “activates” its heat relief stations to a heightened awareness – alerting the media to help spread the word, and posting extra signage directing people to each location, with some locations having canopies outside to give water and heat relief items to passersby. Salvation Army officers, staff and volunteers also take water to those in need around their neighborhoods.
The following heat relief stations will be “activated” from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 30-31 and on any day the National Weather Service has issued or extended an Excessive Heat Warning (except for federal holidays), including weekends:
·Apache Junction – Apache Junction Corps Community Center, 605 E. Broadway Ave.
·Avondale – Estrella Mountain Corps Community Center, 11 N. Third Ave.
·Chandler – Chandler Corps Community Center, 85 E. Saragosa St.
·Glendale – Glendale Corps Community Center, 6010 W. Northern Ave.
·Mesa – Mesa Corps Community Center, 241 E. Sixth St.
·Phoenix
o Phoenix Citadel Corps Community Center, 628 N. Third Ave.
o Phoenix Maryvale Corps Community Center, 4318 W. Clarendon Ave.
o Ray & Joan Kroc Center Phoenix, 1375 E. Broadway Road
o Phoenix Family Services Office, 2707 E. Van Buren St., Bldg. 2
·Surprise – North West Valley Corps Community Center, 17420 N. Avenue of the Arts Blvd.
·Tempe – Tempe Corps Community Center, 40 E. University Drive
Additionally, mobile hydration units will be dispatched from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 30-31 to portions of the Valley identified as areas with high homeless populations.
APS, DBP, DripDrop and Ford have all made significant donations of funding, water and product to the Army’s heat relief efforts. If you’d like to donate to help our neighbors in need facing the unbearable summer heat, visit SalvationArmyPhoenix.org or text HEAT to 51555. To volunteer at a heat relief station, contact your local Salvation Army or call 602-267-4100.
The Salvation Army EDS is part of the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Heat Relief Regional Network, the goal of which is to provide resources to prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths among vulnerable populations.
