The Golden Triangle Homeless Coalition is setting up a cooling shelter to help people in need during this week’s dangerous heat wave.
Golden Triangle Homeless Coalition Executive Director Susan Garton told The Dispatch Wednesday morning a cooling station will be open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Redeemer Church, 187 Plymouth Road. The church is west of Bob’s Paint and Auto Body, just before the intersection of Plymouth and Nash roads.
The heat index over the next three days is forecasted to soar as high as 115 degrees, according to Lowndes County Emergency Management Director Cindy Lawrence.
Columbus is in the “extreme risk” category, she said, with high temperatures — without the heat index — hitting triple digits.
“It’s a good central location, and it’s away from all the businesses,” Garton said of the cooling station. “It’s kind of secluded, but it’s still within walking distance of downtown. It’s a perfect location.”
Garton said the Homeless Coalition is using the church because arrangements with the Columbus Housing Authority to use one of its buildings located on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive has fallen through.
“We had to pull this off last-minute because we have not revised our contract with the (Columbus Housing Authority),” she said. “We’re going to have to meet at a later date and get that fixed.”
Pastor James White of Redeemer Church said helping out the Homeless Coalition was a natural fit.
“One thing we asked ourselves was how we could use (the church building) for our community,” White said. “That led to us exploring different options. … The homelessness issue is one dear to us because of individuals we’ve encountered that became part of our church.”
The Homeless Coalition will use several old classrooms in the church building, White said.
Garton said she was very thankful for the church’s offer.
“(Lawrence) and I were racking our brains for a couple of days,” she said. “I called (White) and asked if he could save us, and he said absolutely. It’s perfect. It’s freshly painted, he’s renovated the bathrooms, it’s perfect.”
White said he was unsure how involved his church members would be with the cooling shelter.
“We’re going to have a conversation this evening (about volunteering),” White said. “They’re specific on the training people have to go through to be involved, so I’m not sure if we can or can’t. I think we’ll be willing to volunteer but we’re going to let (the Homeless Coalition) decide that.”
Garton said volunteers were needed. Interested parties can call the Homeless Coalition hotline at (662) 549-2643.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
Join the Discussion