x
Breaking News
More () »

Here are cooling centers available to central Pennsylvania residents

There are a number of cooling centers across central Pennsylvania where residents can relax in the air conditioning.

PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Editor's note: The above video is from July 27, 2023.

With a heat wave looming, many cooling centers are opening their doors.

Here is a county-by-county list of places to cool off in the air conditioning in central Pennsylvania.

Residents can also check Pennsylvania 211 for an extensive list of cooling centers across the state.

(If you do not see your organization on this list and would like it added, please email the details to news@fox43.com.)

Adams County

New Hope Ministries' service centers will also function as cooling centers for those who need a safe, cool place to rest during the day. The organization has several locations in Adams County, including:

  • Littlestown
    • 1113 Frederick Pike
    • Contact
      • Phone: 717-848-0885
    • Hours
      • Monday – Wednesday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
      • Thursday, 9 a.m. – noon, 4 – 7 p.m.
      • Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • New Oxford
    • 154 Enterprise Drive
    • Contact
      • Phone: 717-624-4700
    • Hours
      • Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
      • Evening Pantry: 1st Tuesday of the month, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Cumberland County

New Hope Ministries' service centers will also function as cooling centers for those who need a safe, cool place to rest during the day. The organization has several locations in Cumberland County, including:

  • Enola
    • 110 Altoona Avenue
    • Contact
      • Phone: 717-996-9006
      • Fax: 717-695-9176
    • Hours
      • Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
      • 2nd Tuesday of each month open until 6 p.m.
      • 2nd Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. – noon
  • Mechanicsburg
    • 5228 E. Trindle Road
    • Contact
      • Phone: 717-766-7333
      • Fax: 717-766-7575
    • Hours
      • Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
      • Tuesday evenings, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
      • Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
      • Saturdays, 10 a.m. to noon
  • West Shore
    • 701 Bosler Avenue
    • Contact
      • Phone: 717-774-6255
    • Hours
      • Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
      • Thursday evenings, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
      • 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon

Cumberland County Senior Centers acting as cooling centers are as follows: 

  • Big Spring Senior Center
    • 91 Doubling Gap Road, Newville 
    • 717.776.4478
    • Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
      • Exception:  Closed June 18   and June 19
  • Carlisle Senior Action Center  
    • 20 East Pomfret Street, Carlisle
    • 717.249.5007
    • Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
      • Exception: Closed June 19
  • Schaner Senior Center
    • 98 South Enola Drive, Enola
    • 717.732.3915
    • Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Branch Creek Place
    • 115 North Fayette Street, Shippensburg 717.591.5581
    • Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
      • Exception: Closed June 20 and June 21
  • West Shore Senior Center
    • 122 Geary Avenue, New Cumberland 717.774.0409
    • Monday- Friday 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
      • Exception: Closed June 18 and June 21
  • Mechanicsburg Place
    • 97 West Portland Street, Mechanicsburg 
    • 717.591.5581
    • Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Cumberland County libraries also acting as cooling centers are as follows: 

  • Amelia Givin Library
    • 114 North Baltimore Ave, Mt. Holly Springs
    • 717.486.3688
  • Bosler Library
    • 158 West High Street, Carlisle
    • 717.243.4642
      • Exception: Closed June 19
  • Coy Public Library
    • 73 West King Street, Shippensburg
    • 717.532.2454
  • East Pennsboro Library
    • 98 South Enola Drive, Enola
    • 717.732.4274
      • Exception: Closed June 19
  • Fredricksen Library
    • 100 North 19th Street, Camp Hill
    • 717.761.3900
      • Exception: Closed June 19
  • John Graham Library
    • 9 Parsonage Street, Newville
    • 717.776.5900
  • Simpson Library
    • 16 North Walnut Street, Mechanicsburg
    • 717.766.0171
      • Exception: Closed June 20

Franklin County

Franklin County's Senior Centers serve as cooling stations. The Chambersburg, Greencastle and Tuscarora centers will be open extended hours from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18 due to the incoming heat wave.

  • Chambersburg
    • 600 Norland Avenue, Suite 11
    • Phone: (717) 264-8191
    • Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. (open until 7 p.m. on June 18)
  • Greencastle
    • 10615 Antrim Church Road
    • Phone: (717) 597-2020
    • Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. (open until 7 p.m. on June 18)
  • Mont Alto
    • Mont Alto Fire Hall, 517 South Main Street
    • Phone: (717) 749-7294
    • Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Path Valley
    • Val-Med Building, P.O. Box 84, 20344 School Road, Dry Run
    • Phone: (717) 349-7227
    • Hours: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
  • St. Thomas
    • 6444 Lincoln Way West
    • Phone: (717) 369-2520
    • Hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Tuscarora
    • 11300 Fort Loudon Road, Mercersburg
    • Phone: (717) 328-4744
    • Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. (open until 7 p.m. on June 18)
  • Upper Strasburg
    • Upper Strasburg Community Center, P. O. Box 123, 9843 Community Road
    • Phone: (717) 530-1186
    • Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Waynesboro
    • 11359 Anthony Highway
    • Phone: (717) 762-2758
    • Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Lancaster County

Columbia

Two cooling centers have been opened in Columbia Borough for anyone needing to get out of the heat: Columbia Dream Center (717-684-6271) located at 360 Locust Street, and the Columbia United Methodist Church (717-684-2356) located at 510 Walnut Street.

Elizabethtown

ECHOS Enrichment Center: 105 E. Washington St., Elizabethtown, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Greater Elizabethtown Area Recreation & Community Services (GEARS): 70 South Poplar Street Elizabethtown, Monday – Friday 8:30 – 4 p.m., extended to 6 p.m. Tuesday – Thursday.

Elizabethtown Area Senior Center: 70 South Poplar Street, Elizabethtown, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:00 a.m. -6:00 p.m. 

Lancaster

  • Lancaster County Food Hub Welcome Place: 812 N. Queen St. Lancaster, Monday-Friday 12:30-4 p.m.

  • Anchor Lancaster Day Center: 29 E. Walnut St. Lancaster, Monday-Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

  • Lancaster Neighborhood Senior Center: 33 E Farnum St, Lancaster, Tuesday & Friday 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

  • Lancaster Rec Senior Center: 525 Fairview Ave, Lancaster, Tuesday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

  • SACA Senior Center: 545 Pershing Avenue, Lancaster, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.  

  • Salvation Army: 131 S Queen St, Lancaster, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

  • Water Street Mission: 210 S Prince St, Lancaster, shelter provided for all registered guests

Lititz

Lititz Senior Center: Lititz United Methodist 201 East Market Street, Lititz, Wednesday & Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Millersville

Millersville Senior Center inSt. Paul Lutheran: 222 N George St, Millersville, Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Paradise

Factory Ministries: 3293 Lincoln Hwy East, Paradise, Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Quarryville

Next Gen Senior Center: 184 South Lime Street, Quarryville, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

York County

New Hope Ministries' service centers will also function as cooling centers for those who need a safe, cool place to rest during the day. The organization has several locations in York County, including:

  • Dillsburg
    • 99 W. Church Street
    • Contact
      • Phone: 717-432-3053
      • Fax: 717-432-9789
    • Hours 
      • Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
      • 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. (unless on holiday)
      • 2nd and 4th Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon (unless on holiday)
  • Dover
    • 62 North Main Street
    • Contact
      • Phone: 717-292-3441
      • Fax: 717-292-9154
    • Hours
      • Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
      • 3rd Thursday from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Hanover
    • 135 Baltimore Street
    • Contact
      • Phone: 717-698-3365
      • Fax: 717-698-3374
    • Hours
      • Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
      • 2nd through 4th Tuesday, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Red Land
    • 539 Old York Road
    • Contact
      • Phone: 717-915-6763
    • Hours
      • Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
      • Evening Pantry: 3rd Wednesday of the month 6 p.m. –  8 p.m.

York County Senior Centers also operate as cooling stations for those 60 years and older, the York County Area Agency on Aging shared. These include:

  • Crispus Attucks Association
    • 605 S. Duke Street, York
    • Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Delta Area Senior Center Inc.
    • 5 Pendyrus St, Suite 1 (Front and Hill Streets), Delta
    • Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Dillsburg Senior Center Inc. 
    • 1 N. Second Street, Dillsburg
    • Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Golden Connections Community Center Inc.
    • 20-C Gotham Place (North Main Street Extended), Red Lion
    • Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • Heritage Senior Center Inc.
    • 3700-4 Davidsburg Road, Dover
    • Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • Northeastern Senior Community Center 
    • 131 Center Street (Otterbein UMC), Mount Wolf
    • Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Red Land Senior Center Inc.
    • 736 Wyndamere Road, Lewisberry
    • Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • September House
    • 1251 W. King Street, York
    • Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • South Central York County Senior Center Inc.
    • 150 E. Main Street, New Freedom
    • Monday – Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
  • Stewartstown Senior Center, Inc.
    • 26 S. Main Street (Stewartstown UMC), Stewartstown
    • Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Susquehanna Area Senior Center Inc.
    • 2427 Craley Road, Wrightsville
    • Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.  (April – September)
    • Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  (October – March)
  • White Rose Senior Center Inc.
    • 27 S. Broad Street (Broad Park Apartments), York
    • Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Windy Hill on the Campus   
    • 1472 Roth’s Church Road, Suite 103, Spring Grove
    • Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • Yorktown Senior Center Inc.
    • 509 Pacific Avenue, York
    • Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

York

LifePath Christian Ministries will open a cooling station at 367 W. Market St. in York starting on July 1. It will be open from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., seven days a week.

The Beacon Resource Center is available from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at Union Lutheran Church, located at 408 W. Market St. in York. Friends & Neighbors of Pennsylvania, Inc. street outreach teams will also increase its distribution of water, sunscreen and cooling towels.

Hanover

The Hanover Area Council of Churches' Changing Lives Shelter offers lunch and a cool space to rest. Doors open for lunch at 11:30 a.m., and during extreme heat, individuals may stay in the dining area until 4 p.m. as a cooling station.

Guthrie Memorial Library, located at 2 Library Place in Hanover, is available as a cooling station for those in need. The library is open Monday - Tuesday, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Wednesday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Friday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. From July 4 through Labor Day, the library has modified hours of 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturdays. All other hours remain the same.

Download the FOX43 app here.

Before You Leave, Check This Out