Chandler’s heat relief services begin…

April 18, 2024

Chandler City Council voted to approve an intergovernmental agreement with Maricopa County Department of Public Health for heat relief services

CHANDLER, Ariz. - The City of Chandler will open a day respite center and eight cooling locations starting May 1, offering residents and those experiencing homelessness a safe place to recover and cool down from the extreme heat.

The Chandler City Council recently approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Maricopa County for heat relief services during an April 4 Council meeting. The IGA will provide $218,132 in American Rescue Act Plan funds in exchange for these vital services from May 1 through Sept. 30. The IGA also allows for the possibility of additional funding and services to be determined at a later date.

As part of the agreement, Chandler will provide a day respite center located at the Salvation Army Chandler Corps, 85 E. Saragosa St. The center will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday - Saturday. During excessive heat warnings, the center will open on Sundays.

The center will provide air-conditioning, hydration, snacks and a place for uninterrupted rest. Guests also will have access to restroom facilities, shower and laundry services. The city's Community Navigation Team will be available to offer their resources as needed by guests. Maricopa County will provide transportation to and from day respite centers, marketing support and signage. To arrange for transportation, residents may contact Solari at 2-1-1.

In addition, the agreement allows for eight cooling centers, where residents can stop by for water and a reprieve from the heat. These cooling stations will operate at the following locations during regular business hours:

• Basha Library, 5990 S. Val Vista Drive, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday - Wednesday; 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday - Friday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday
• Chandler Community Center, 125 E. Commonwealth Ave., 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday - Thursday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday
• Chandler Nature Center at Veterans Oasis Park, 4050 E. Chandler Heights Road, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday - Thursday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
• Chandler Neighborhood Resources Department, 235 S. Arizona Ave., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday
• Downtown Library, 22 S. Delaware St., 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday - Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday - Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday
• Hamilton Library, 3700 S. Arizona Ave., 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday - Wednesday; 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday - Friday; 1-5 p.m. Saturday
• Sunset Library, 4930 E. Ray Road, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday - Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday - Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday
• Tumbleweed Recreation Center, 745 E. Germann Road, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday - Friday; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday

During last year's heat season, Chandler partnered with the Salvation Army and Resurrection Street Ministries to provide a day respite center, 16 cooling stations, and shower and laundry services in both Chandler and Mesa. Across both cities, 1,818 unduplicated persons were served at the cost of $406,996. Funding was provided by the Maricopa County Human Services Department, and Valley cities were encouraged to partner with one another to provide greater reach to the community.

In Chandler, 567 unduplicated persons were served with more than 8,600 hours of service. In addition, more than 10,200 water bottles, 13,400 snack items, 600 showers and 220 laundry services were provided to vulnerable Chandler residents.

This year, funding from Maricopa County's Department of Public Health is being provided to individual cities, and this IGA is for resources provided only by the City of Chandler. In addition, the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center forecasts above-normal temperatures for the 2024 heat season - making these services critically important to the community.

For additional information about the Maricopa County Heat Relief Network, or to make a donation of water or other supplies, visit Chandler Heat Relief.

Media contact:
Stephanie Romero
Public Information Officer, City of Chandler
480-782-2231