Street outreach team gives out water, supplies to unhoused neighbors amid extreme heat
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- The heat can be deadly for those living outside, and in Montgomery County, staff and volunteers are scrambling to save lives.
The street outreach team from Access Services was out Thursday giving out water and supplies to unhoused neighbors at an encampment in Norristown near Main and Markley Streets. They also check on people living near the Schuylkill River trail in Norristown.
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"I think that it's our responsibility to continue to care for them as we would our neighbor, and that's how we treat it in our program," said Colleen MacNamara, director of housing services for Access Services.
"I might be out for 40 minutes in the heat, but then I have an office I can go back to. I just kind of reflect that other folks don't," said Katie Maiorano, assistant director of street outreach, Access Services.
Just a few miles away, at the Norristown Hospitality Center, executive director Sunanda Charles said the heat may be worse this week, but it has always been dangerous for unhoused clients.
"I would be very concerned about the life of people in the streets. If it was not for places like this, it would be fatal," Charles said.
The center also offers a cool place to rest.
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Client Terrance Franklin has a home but no air conditioning.
"They have the air conditioning here and they've got all the resources here for that," Franklin said.
The cooling center will be open until Saturday when people can also receive health care.
THIS SATURDAY! The Norristown Hospitality Center offers a range of services to address the Health and Wellness of our neighbors. We partner with Einstein Medical Center Montgomery Health Care Providers and offer our Community Health Clinics. These clinics provide free medical care for our guests. SERVICES OFFERED: Wound Assessment Basic First Aid Care Blood Pressure Checks A1C Screening for Diabetes Free of charge - Adults Only - First Come, First Served Thank you to the Grocery Outlet for providing snacks and water for this event! #norristownpa #montcopa #healthclinic
Posted by Norristown Hospitality Center on Tuesday, July 25, 2023