It’s difficult to stay cool and hydrated without the amenities of a home, such as an air-conditioning unit or readily accessible cold water.
During this extended heat wave, local organizations are seeking donations of bottled water to give to people living outside.
People often don’t start drinking water until they’re thirsty, which means they’re already on their way to being dehydrated, said Kate Budd, executive director of Council for the Homeless. And extreme heat exacerbates physical, behavioral and mental health issues.
“We want to make sure people are ideally inside where it’s cooler or at least in the shade,” she said.
The National Weather Service is forecasting temperatures in the high 80s to mid-90s through Wednesday in Vancouver.
Share House, the men’s homeless shelter that runs a hot meal program, is in the middle of remodeling its kitchen, and the outdoor drinking fountain is out of service. To keep people “hydrated and happy,” the nonprofit is asking that donations of bottled water be dropped off at the Share Fromhold Service Center, 2306 N.E. Andresen Road, Vancouver.
Sunscreen, hats, lip balm, sunglasses, fans and cool packs — anything that helps to mitigate the sun and heat — are also appreciated and will be distributed to people around Clark County through different partner agencies.
“The more we have, the more we’re able to give to people,” Budd said.
With Share’s kitchen closed, meals are being served at Friends of the Carpenter, where Share operates a day center for homeless people. Jessica Lightheart, spokeswoman for Share, said more people are expected to travel to and from the day center, which is about a mile outside of downtown Vancouver. Friends of the Carpenter is also seeking donations of bottled water, which can be dropped off at its warehouse at 1600 W. 20th St.
“Our community has a wonderful history of helping at times like these, so we are hoping that individuals or businesses answer the call for donations to help our neighbors in need,” Lightheart said in an email.
If anyone comes across somebody who appears to need medical attention, they should call 911, Budd said.
Cooling centers
Several public places are designated as cooling centers:
• Camas Public Library, 625 N.E. Fourth Ave.; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.
• Firstenburg Community Center, 700 N.E. 136th Ave.; 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
• Marshall Community Center, 1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd.; 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.
• Water Resources Education Center, 4600 S.E. Columbia Way; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.
• Washougal Community Library, 1661 C St.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.
• Washougal Community Center, 1681 C St.; 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday.
More information about cooling centers can be found at http://211info.org/coolingcenters/#clark.
