This week’s heat wave did not catch the Golden Triangle Homeless Coalition by surprise.
But something else did.
With high temperatures expected to range from the mid-90s to the low 100s (101 on Saturday) and heat indices reaching as high as 110, the GTHC started putting together plans to open a cooling station for vulnerable residents last week.
It had secured two sites that would alternate as the station, arranged for meals from Loaves and Fishes and collected donations of bottled water.
“We had everything set up to open Monday,” said GTHC co-director Sandra DePriest. “Everything was ready to go, but we cannot find volunteers. We have zero. No one will volunteer. We couldn’t open Monday like we planned because of that, so we pushed it back to (today), but we still don’t have volunteers. At this point, I don’t know when or if we can open without volunteers to run the shelter.”
In late July last year GTHC, in collaboration with the city, opened a cooling station in the American Legion building at Propst Park. For several years, GTHC and the city have operated a warming station in the winter at the Boy Scout hut at the Hitching Lot Farmers Market.
“Neither one of those spaces are available now because they have other events going on, but we have offers from Main Street Presbyterian and St. Stephen (United Methodist Church) who will alternate weeks.”
All that is moot unless volunteers step forward.
DePriest said she needs four volunteers to run the station, which would be open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — two per four-hour shift.
“We also need someone to step up and be the volunteer coordinator,” DePriest said. “But right now, there are no volunteers to coordinate.”
Harvey Pilkington, a deacon at Main Street Presbyterian Church, said the church stands ready to open its fellowship hall as a cooling station.
“We’ve kind of got the cart before the horse now,” Pilkington said. “They have to get it staffed, but we will absolutely be ready to open our fellowship hall when everything is in place. We are just waiting now.”
DePriest said the two churches should be commended for their offers.
“It’s not (the churches’) problem,” DePriest said. “It’s the coalition’s problem, the community’s problem. There’s no getting around it. We need help.”
To volunteer, contact the GTHC at 662) 549-2643.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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