Agency Provides Relief From Heat

Jul 30, 2018 | 3:33 PM

Like everybody else, the homeless in Vernon are having to find a way to keep cool in this heat.

Unlike most other people, it’s not always easy, but the Upper Room Mission is doing what it can to help.

Co-Executive Director Lisa Church says the Mission is keeping a close eye on people.

“We’re just trying to keep, you know, provide a place for people to come in and rest and hydrate. We have, you know, water, sunscreen. That type of stuff available.”

She adds the doors are open from 9 to 5 Monday through Friday for their clientele to come in and take part in activities and get out of the sun.

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“We’ll do movies or different activities. We have like art activities and things going on all the time. Our AC doesn’t keep up very well. It’s a really old building, but we do our best. They do have fans going all the time and there are cold drinks available.”

Church says having a couple of summer students has been tremendous benefit to keep their programs going and just have some extra eyes.

She says donations are always accepted, but this time of year is always slow while the need is the same or almost greater as the winter.

“Yeah, well it’s extreme weather right. In the winter people are more familiar with that with the freezing temperatures but with the heat it’s quite comparable to the extreme weather that we face in the winter.”

Church says it’s been fortunate there have been no medical emergencies during this hot spell.

Lisa Church, co-executive director, Upper Room Mission

by Tom Mark