PHOENIX — As temperatures in Phoenix will soon reach 110+ degrees daily, organizations across the Valley are ramping up efforts to provide relief for the homeless.
Every Sunday morning, hundreds of people line up at The Bridge to receive water and a warm meal.
For Robert Castle, who has been experiencing homelessness for 11 months, these services provide consistent support.
"I've been homeless for 11 months now, just trying to get back on my feet. They have a good word, they're encouraging people, and they feed that hunger," Castle said.
Volunteer Kat Pollard says as the calendar turns to June, demand only seems to be increasing.
"I've seen the crowds grow, you would think with the heat that it would go down, but they come out early, get a meal, then go to a cool place," Pollard said.
One of those cool places is St. Vincent de Paul, which has launched its 100 Days of Summer Campaign heat relief program. Through September, they will provide heat relief for the homeless from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. every day.
People are able to come check in and receive a heat relief kit with hydration packs and cooling towels put together by volunteers.
De'Andre Milton, who came to St. Vincent de Paul on the first day of the heat relief program, appreciates having a reliable place to hydrate during the summer.
"I don't want to go backwards, so the resources help when you are at your lowest," Milton said.
Heat-related deaths remained high in 2024, with over 600 reported in Maricopa County. Andrea Ariza of St. Vincent de Paul says their organization, along with others in Phoenix, aims to reduce that number to zero.
"We want to do better, prevent heat-related deaths. We have the capacity to bring people inside and get out of the heat, so we're going to do that," Ariza said.
You can click the following links if you’d like to help or volunteer with St. Vincent De Paul or The Bridge for Community Services.
