DOVER, Pa. — The rise in extreme temperatures and heat advisories across south central Pennsylvania has a number of shelters and resource centers stepping up to protect the homeless population.
When the heat stays high for days at a time, homeless people are at a greater risk of cardiac arrest, heatstroke and dehydration. New Hope Ministries is hoping they can prevent that by offering a number of resources throughout this week.
“This is a time when the community really needs to come together, so we are blessed that we have facilities across south central Pa. that are really set up and designed as community spaces so we’re really able to offer some hospitality, which really is one of our strengths,” said Molly Helmstetter, director of development at New Hope Ministries.
New Hope Ministries has a number of cooling centers that stretch across the commonwealth. Cooling centers are buildings designed for people to utilize the air conditioner and use as a safe place away from extreme heat. For many homeless people, this is the only option for them to beat the heat on the street.
“Why wouldn’t we want to help people who may be struggling or people who don’t have a home or a place to go when we have extreme weather that we’re facing?” said Helmstetter.
New Hope Ministries is also helping families who do have a home but can’t afford electricity or to turn on their AC for long periods of time. A financial assistance program available through New Hope Ministries can help families pay part or all of their electricity bills to make sure they stay cool during high-temperature days.
“We want to help people with their utility assistance,” said Helmstetter. "Perhaps they’re not able to pay their electric bill to keep that air conditioning on or they don’t have a window air conditioning unit in where they’re living, so we can talk to them in more detail about how we can help them get more access to those resources."
For those who do have the opportunity to help out when they see someone on the street, officials say it’s best to always make sure they have water. Dehydration is a common risk when heat advisories are in place. Another way to help is to let them know where the closest cooling center is. A full list of New Hope Ministries locations can be found here.
“Just knowing that there are organizations out there that people can go to in a time of need is really just the greatest gift that people can share with others,” said Helmstetter. “We all just want to be good neighbors to one another."