Beating the Extreme Heat
For the past few months, Jake has struggled to make ends meet. Living alone on a fixed income, the Waxahachie resident is among the thousands of North Texans facing continued hardship after being impacted by inflation, rising costs, or lingering effects of the pandemic.
But this summer, that hardship accelerated — to the extreme.
North Texans have been experiencing unseasonably high temperatures that have quickly become a real threat in our community. The heat that has engulfed the region has been so severe that Dallas and Fort Worth were listed by The Washington Post in July as two of the five hottest cities in the country.
For seniors, youth, people with chronic diseases, and those experiencing homelessness and poverty, the dangers that accompany heat-related illness can be life-threatening. Heat now causes more deaths than hurricanes, tornadoes, or floods in most years. For those without access to air conditioning, that risk becomes far, far greater.
Jake, for instance, couldn’t afford to consistently run nor replace his decrepit air conditioning unit in this year’s sweltering summer heat. As the temperature in his home reached hazardous levels — on a consistent basis — it became difficult for him to peacefully sleep through the night or comfortably stay in his place during the day.
Thankfully, Jake had a solution nearby: the cooling station at The Salvation Army’s Waxahachie Corps Community Center. Embedded in every pocket of North Texas, The Salvation Army operates 12 cooling stations with support from its heat relief sponsor, Reliant, to provide hydration and indoor refuge from the heat to help our most vulnerable neighbors stay safe and cool.
Jake was not only offered comfort and relief from the 100-degree temperatures but was also given box fans to cool his home thanks to The Salvation Army’s partner, Westlake Ace Hardware.
“The fans greatly improved the temperature in my home, and now I’m sleeping well at night,” Jake said. “During the day, I like coming to the Waxahachie Corps. I’ve learned about other services available, like the food pantry. Receiving food from the pantry will help me stretch my budget, and money I can put aside will allow me to make needed improvements to my home. I’m grateful for the help The Salvation Army has provided me!”
Diligent to our mission, The Salvation Army of North Texas is dedicated to providing holistic services aimed at meeting several of the community’s needs as long as temperatures stay high. Emergency disaster mobile feeding units are being deployed to bring relief directly to vulnerable populations, and financial assistance is available for families who may be experiencing lost wages and are at risk of having their utilities shut off.
To donate to The Salvation Army’s preparation and relief efforts or find information on cooling shelters, visit SalvationArmyNTX.org/north-texas/heat-relief.