Isn’t it “easier” to be homeless in the summer?

Isn’t it “easier” to be homeless in the summer?

Dear Friend,

I love summertime: baseball at Victory Field, road trips to exciting new places, weekends at the lake, grilling on the patio. It’s a season to refresh and relax.

But for so many of our neighbors, summer is no picnic. There’s a common misconception that it’s better, even easier, to be homeless in the summer; but, that’s simply not true.

The perils of summer heat

 

Imagine you’re without a home, or access to water. How would you – and your young children – stay cool and out of the blazing sun?

For our homeless neighbors with nowhere to go, the grind of each day gets worse with the climbing heat. Stuck outside with no place to cool off, these men and women – many of them elderly – are vulnerable to dehydration, extreme sunburn, and heat related illnesses.

Summer also brings a surge in homelessness among families. Single moms and their kids often find shelter among friends and family. However, once school lets out and all the kids are home, their support systems are stretched thin, and the desperate family is told to stay somewhere else.

The nitty-gritty

 

From June through August, we’ll care for more than 600 men, women, and children every night.

But friends, every year as the temperatures climb, our donations drop. As our facilities burst with people in need of care and hope, our resources are stretched thin. We need your help.

Can I count on you to help our neighbors escape this heat? Consider donating, or volunteering, to help carry us through this busy, hot season. We need you. And our guests need you.

Thank you for helping us provide care and cool shelter for those in desperate need. Together, we’ll save lives this summer.

God bless you,

Rick Alvis