Arlington Triple Digit Temps Spur Water Donation

On Saturday, July 16, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints in Arlington, Texas, donated sixty-four cases of bottled water to the Arlington Life Shelter. The water was donated by individual members of the church and was collected over a period of two weeks, with a final drive‑by donation before the water was brought to the Life Shelter. These cases represent sixty‑four people lugging packages of bottled water to the church building to be collected, plus the twenty‑two people who volunteered to help load and drive the water to the Shelter, all of which resulted in 1,500‑1,600 people in need receiving necessary bottled water.

As record summer temperatures continue to soar, the danger of heat‑related hospitalizations and deaths increases. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, heat is the leading cause of weather‑related deaths in the U.S. The danger from heat increases in cities, where the large amounts of pavement absorb and retain heat, keeping temperatures high even at night. And for those without a permanent home who find it difficult to get out of the heat and cool down, water can mean the difference between life and death, providing hydration and a way to keep body temperatures low.

The Arlington Life Shelter provides cold bottled water to those in need who come through their doors, giving people a way to take their hydration with them instead of remaining dependent on a single location, resulting in greater self‑sufficiency. The Arlington Life Shelter was founded in 1987 with the mission “to promote self-sufficiency by providing shelter, employment programs, and transitional services for North Texans impacted by homelessness,” according to their website. Their goal is to help people get back on their feet until they are able to support themselves, which includes providing food and water, supplies and resources, and shelter. And in this extreme heat, cool bottled water is a necessity. 

The Arlington Life Shelter runs mainly on donations with volunteers from the community, religious groups, and other organizations working together to provide needed supplies and labor. For more opportunities to serve, visit justserve.org, arlingtonlifeshelter.org/get‑involved, or contact your local shelter or food pantry.

Stay cool and keep giving!

Photos by Jessica Hilton