“This heat is hard. I’m tired of sweating. I’m tired of the smell. I haven’t taken a bath in two or three days. I just took a bath, and it feels so good, so good" Geneva

Geneva and her partner, Jose, are two of our regular visitors during cooling center hours. They are currently living in the woods, and during the hottest hours of the day, they come to Trinity looking mainly for safety for themselves and their dogs. They come to cool down, shower, eat, rest, and have access to some of the basic resources they otherwise would not have access to while living outside.

The summer heat doesn’t stop at nighttime. Although they struggle to sleep comfortably in the heat while also needing to remain alert and aware of their surroundings, they use the hours they spend here to find some peace, rest, and relief.

“This heat is hard. I’m tired of sweating. I’m tired of the smell. I haven’t taken a bath in two or three days. I just took a bath, and it feels so good, so good. I didn’t want to get out,” Geneva said, laughing.

During the afternoon, Geneva and Jose access many of the services we have available. They use the showers and receive clean clothing to change into afterward. They stay for the hot meal, access our cooling and hygiene supplies—which include much-needed items such as fans, cooling towels, Propel, and more —and take advantage of our day sleep area.

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But beyond these services, they are also simply able to be here: somewhere safe, somewhere cool, with access to bathrooms and water to stay hydrated. They know their dogs are welcome inside with them and can also receive food and supplies. 

“You all are good people. I love coming here. You are doing a good job taking care of us, and I’m thankful. If it wasn’t for you all, we wouldn’t have anywhere to go,” Geneva said.

Geneva and Jose have been living outside for almost a year. They had a place to live before, but after an incident that put Geneva’s safety at risk, they had to return to living outside.

Jose also has several medical conditions that make surviving outdoors especially difficult. Geneva currently carries the responsibility of making sure they are both safe, have something to eat, have somewhere to rest that isn’t the floor, stay hydrated, and remain alert in case danger presents itself, especially at night.

The last year has been extremely difficult. From what  Geneva shares about her daily struggles, even planning for the next day can become overwhelming. Trying to navigate deeper levels of assistance, identify resources, make a clear plan, and follow the steps toward leaving homelessness can become harder when so much of each day is simply focused on surviving.

“I ask God to get me out of here before something happens to us. I want to get out. We’re both tired, frustrated at the situation. I am tired of moving back and forth, back and forth, with everything we have,” Geneva said. She added: “You have been a big help for us, and we feel good around you. You guys have given me more confidence to be able to try to get more help to get out.”

Recently, she participated in our ID assistance program, where we are helping her retrieve her vital documents. Having those documents is a step forward in allowing her to begin pursuing additional resources and exploring housing options available to them.

For the next month, we will continue to be there for Geneva and Jose throughout the afternoons, making it easier for them to meet their basic needs, stay healthy, rest, and feel safe, while also providing a starting point for the bigger steps that can eventually help them leave the streets.

For Geneva and Jose, just as we do for the many people who visit us regularly or are only beginning to get to know us, this is what we do here.

And we hope you take Geneva’s words of appreciation to heart, because if you are reading this, you are part of it.

Maybe you support us financially. Maybe you volunteer. Maybe you are learning about what we do and will share our work with others. Or maybe, one day, you will even direct someone who needs help to Trinity Center.

Every one of these things matters.

All of us—including Geneva and Jose—are grateful to everyone who helps make this initiative possible.

Learn more about the Cooling Center