The Salvation Army Opens Cooling Sites and Shelters in Missouri and Southern Illinois
(St. Louis, MO) — The Salvation Army of Greater St. Louis is providing much-needed cooling sites and shelters across the metro region in the face of extreme heat. High temperatures over the past month in St. Louis exceeded 97 degrees on multiple days. While The Salvation Army hosts 22 cooling sites across Missouri and Southern Illinois, they host 10 in the Greater St. Louis area alone.
"The heat in St. Louis is something we've become accustomed to battling," said LaKeysha Fields, Associate Divisional and St. Louis Regional Social Services Director at The Salvation Army. "Unfortunately, the rising temperatures not only affect our neighbors who were already unhoused, but also those tornado survivors who have been living without utilities for several weeks. We are ready to support both and are here to help."
The Salvation Army's St. Louis-area Family Haven not only provides weather-related shelter, but also year-round shelter for the unhoused in our community, who are experiencing difficult seasons of life.
Other designated sites include Salvation Army Corps Community Centers and Emergency Shelters, which will provide water, food and a safe space to those in need. Hours of service and services provided vary by location, with some serving the community overnight.
"Thanks to our friends at Westlake Ace Hardware, we also recently received a donation of 200 box fans which will be a tremendous help," said Major Adam Moore, General Secretary and St. Louis Area Commander. "And we were recently among the beneficiaries of Cool Down St. Louis' initiative, distributing energy-efficient air conditioning units. We'll be providing those to some of our local seniors and most vulnerable neighbors. We're so grateful for our partnerships with other local agencies and organization that allow us to continue doing the most good in St. Louis."
Visit salarmy.us/staycool for more information including specific hours and services provided.