Cooling center locations in Tempe are now open

City and community cooling and respite centers are available citywide until Sept. 30. 2-1-1 Arizona can assist in locating and finding transportation to nearest site. Just type heat relief in the search box.

Cooling centers

Note: Labor Day hours below

Sit, cool off and hydrate during operating hours.

Cahill Senior Center, 715 W. 5th St.
8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
Closed on Labor Day

Escalante Community Center, 2150 E. Orange St.
8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday - Thursday
8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Friday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday
1 p.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday
Labor Day hours: noon to 6 p.m.

Kiwanis Recreation Center, 6111 S. All America Way
7 a.m. – 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday
7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Friday
8 a.m. – 6 p.m. on weekends
Labor Day hours: noon to 6 p.m.

 
North Tempe Multi-Generational Center, 1555 N. Bridalwreath St.
8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday-Friday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday
Closed on Labor Day
 
Pyle Adult Recreation Center, 655 E. Southern Ave.
8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday
9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday
Closed on Labor Day
 
Westside Multi-Generational Center, 715 W. 5th St.
8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday-Friday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday
Closed on Labor Day

University Presbyterian Church*, 139 E Alameda Drive
*hours are subject to change and include some closures
9 a.m. -- 4 p.m. Monday
9 a.m. -- 7 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
9 a.m. -- 2 p.m. Wednesday
2 p.m. -- 7 p.m. Sunday
Regular hours on Labor Day

Church of the Epiphany, 2222 S. Price Road
9 a.m. -- 7 p.m. Monday - Saturday
Regular hours on Labor Day

Community Christian Church, 1701 S. College Ave.
9 a.m. -- 1 p.m. Monday
9 a.m. -- 7 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday
2 p.m. -- 7 p.m. Sunday
Closed on Labor Day

Give help - and win a gift card!

During July, donate bottled water to help stock the city's faith-partner Cooling Centers and assist our HOPE homeless outreach team as they engage with people out in the field about shelter, housing and other life-changing resources.

Drop off locations:

• Church of the Epiphany, 2222 S. Price Road

9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday - Sunday

• Community Christian Church, 1701 S. College Ave. (opens July 22)

9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Monday

9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday

1:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Sunday

• University Presbyterian Church, 139 E. Alameda Drive

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday

9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Wednesday

2 - 7 p.m. Sunday

• Hundred Mile Brewing, 690 N. Scottsdale Road

11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday

11 a.m. – 10 p.m . Friday-Saturday

9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday

Win a gift card

To thank the community, Hundred Mile Brewing is holding a raffle for donations made at the brewery.

Drop off bottled water, 12 packs or larger, at the brewery and snap a photo of yourself in front of the brewing equipment. Tag Hundred Mile on social media to enter a raffle for a $100 gift card. The gift card winner will be announced Aug. 1. 

Donations needed all summer 

If you miss our July drive, you can still help. Every day, our HOPE outreach specialists and CARE 7 crisis team give out water to help those in need stay hydrated and open the door to conversations about shelter, housing and social services. To donate, contact the city's HOPE team at HOPE@tempe.gov.

Recognize the signs of heat-related illness

Who's at risk? Everyone! Although anyone can potentially be at risk during our summer heat season, children, elderly and animals are extremely susceptible to heat illnesses.

Other high risk persons include those who are:

• Experiencing homelessness
• Ill and/or on certain medications
• Using substances
• Overweight

Each year in Arizona thousands of people need hospital treatment for heat-related illnesses. In 2020, more than 500 Arizonans died from heat exposure. Recognizing the symptoms of heat-related illness can help us take early action to protect ourselves and others. 

How to help

• In the case of heat cramps or exhaustion, move the person to a cooler place and give a half glass of COOL (not cold) water every 15 minutes (not too quickly). Apply wet cloths and/ or seek an air-conditioned space, if possible.
• If you think someone is suffering from the life-threatening symptoms of a heat stroke, call 9-1-1 fast and move the person to a cooler space. Quickly cool the body by using any means, including cool water and ice. Have them lie down and place cold packs on their wrists, ankles, armpits, and neck while monitoring for signs of breathing issues. 
• Read more here.

Take care of yourself and others

• Do not leave children or pets in cars. Learn more about Kids and Cars.
• Bring pets indoors and keep them hydrated.
• Check in on those who are at greater risk, such as infants/young children, those 65 and older, and those with chronic diseases.

It's important to stay safe outdoors and indoors.

• If you’re at home and indoors with high temperatures, wear as little clothing as possible.
• Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperatures hit the high 90s, they will not prevent heat-related illness!  
• Stay in air conditioned space; if your home isn't then go to a shopping mall,  cooling center or public library nearby. Even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back out into the heat.
• Take frequent cool baths or showers, but do not take a shower immediately after becoming overheated - you may cool down too quickly and feel ill or dizzy.

Learn more here.

Every year we hear the devastating stories of children and pets left in hot cars.  Minutes matter even in seemingly cooler temperatures. It can take only 10 minutes for a car's indoor temperature to increase by 20 degrees. For example, if the outdoor temperature is 72 degrees, inside a car it can  become 92 degrees.

• Be mindful of children and pets in vehicles.
• Don’t allow children to play in cars, which could tempt them to go inside on their own.
• So you don’t forget your child or pet is in the back seat, when entering your car place an essential item in the back seat such as a cell phone, wallet or purse. You’ll be sure to check the back seat before you exit the car.
• When getting out of your car, double check the back seats, lock your vehicle and place the keys out of the reach of children.

One family's story

A local family shared their tragic story to help other families avoid a similar loss. Watch this video to learn more.

Community resources

Several city and community resources are available to assist residents in need.

Rent, mortgage and utility assistance

• Tempe Community Action Agency offers rent and utility assistance to eligible households.
•  Arizona 211 connects residents with heat relief resources like utility bill help. 
• The Salvation Army provides emergency utility assistance.
• If you are having difficulty paying your Tempe utility bill, contact customer service to make a payment plan.
• Limited income assistance programs are offered by APS and SRP.

Emergency repairs

• Tempe offers a program for emergency air conditioning repairs for those in financial need.
• Maricopa County offers a home repair, weatherization and home rehabilitation program for qualified residents.  

City code

Tempe renters are entitled by city ordinance to working air conditioning. If the temperature in your home or apartment is 88F or above for evaporative cooling or 82F or above for air conditioning, contact your management company or landlord. Then you can file a complaint with the city’s Code Enforcement division through Tempe 311 at 480-350-4311, which is open every weekday.

Pet help

Pet Housing Help - Locate temporary housing for pets.

Stay connected 

Heat safety flier - Top health and safety tips for staying safe in Arizona heat.

Heat Risk Map - Neighborhood-level forecast of potential risk due to excessive produced by the National Weather Service

Heat-Related Illness Patient Handout – Learn how to prevent heat-related illness with common signs and symptoms (English) (Spanish)

Extreme heat education - Get information from Maricopa County Public Health.

Excessive heat alerts - Sign up for alerts by email or text. 

Find more information from the CDC and health officials in Arizona.

Heat and health information on social media

• Maricopa County Public Health resources in English
  • Twitter:  /maricopahealth
  • Facebook:  /MCDPH
  • Website:   heataz.org
• Maricopa County Public Health resources in Spanish
  • Twitter:  /saludMaricopa 
  • Website:  caloraz.org/
•  Maricopa County in English
• • Twitter:  /maricopacounty
  • Facebook:  /maricopacountyaz 
• Maricopa County in Spanish
  • Twitter:  /CondadoMaricopa 
  • Facebook:  /CondadoMaricopa 
• Maricopa County COVID-19 info
  • English 
  • Spanish

Regional collaboration

The Heat Relief Network in Maricopa County offers a searchable map showing:

• Collection/Donation Sites: Water bottles can be donated here for use at cooling center locations and hydration stations. Some sites also accept other donations such as clothing, hats and toiletries. 
• Cooling Centers: Indoor, air-conditioned location that offers hydration. Example: Libraries or places of business that offer spaces to sit and distribute water.
• Respite Centers: Indoor, air-conditioned location that offers hydration and allows for uninterrupted rest, sitting, or lying down (depending on each facility) during hours of operation. Example: Places of worship or facilities with the ability to allow visitors reasonable rest options.
• Hydration Station Sites: Locations where individuals can go to receive bottled water and other collected donated items. These can be indoors or outdoors. 

Learn more about the Heat Relief Network here.

Mobile Cooling Center

The City of Tempe launched a mobile cooling center in Sept. 2021 to serve those experiencing homelessness in the community.

Called Jenny’s Trailer, the solarized 20-foot travel trailer is a unique collaboration among the city, humanitarian Jenny Norton, and Arizona State University. Staffed by the city’s HOPE homeless outreach specialists, the trailer will provide respite from extreme heat and a place to connect to housing and social services. Read more here.

Background

Jenny Norton, a longtime activist and community advocate for the houseless, donated $15,000 to the city’s HOPE homeless outreach program to purchase the trailer that ASU’s EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) students converted into a mobile cooling center.

Norton was inspired to support the mobile cooling center by fond childhood memories of growing up in a South Phoenix trailer park. Schoolmates would often gather at “Jenny’s Trailer” to enjoy the park’s common area and cozy pool.

Available services

Jenny's Trailer will travel around city parks and other locations, offering a safe, comfortable place to cool off and receive cold bottled water.  

HOPE outreach specialists provide onsite connections to temporary shelter, housing programs, the city’s Tempe Works jobs program, community medical services and more.

Arizona State University

ASU's Healthy Urban Environments (HUE) initiative and students with EPICS oversaw planning and conversion of the trailer to ensure it's design fulfills the mission to provide a welcoming, sustainable location for unhoused individuals to escape the heat.

Solar experts with Sun Valley Solar Solutions  have ensured that the renewable energy system is able to keep the space cool during hot summer months without creating a negative impact on the environment. 

Jenny's Trailer meets the mission of all project partners to create a quality space that people want to visit.

Youth Stories of Heat

For 14-year-old Mariangela, it’s seeing her parents struggle while they work outdoors during sweltering summers. For 15-year-old Zulema, it’s worrying about how to stay healthy in extreme heat so she can play volleyball. For 17-year-old Anaya, it’s fear of another heat stroke.

Summer heat impacts all of us differently – from our health to our hobbies.

Youth Stories of Heat explores the experiences of teens at Tempe and McClintock high schools and the Tempe Public Library. The five-part audio series provides a snapshot of how heat impacts all aspects of community life and, importantly, how growing a sustainable city helps us all be resilient for our future.

How to listen

Find Youth Stories of Heat here and on YouTube.  Learn more about the Office of Sustainability and Resilience: tempe.gov/Sustainability.

Extreme heat threatens the health of Tempe residents and this threat will get more severe in the coming decades. Our high temperatures are further exacerbated by the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, in which the cement and concrete absorbs heat in the day leading to increased temperatures in the urban center compared to its rural surroundings; this prevents the city from cooling off at night and increases the intensity of the heat during peak hours.

You can learn more about Tempe's sustainability and resilience to extreme heat efforts here.

Heat Awareness Week

Arizona recognizes Heat Awareness Week May 6-10 to raise awareness about heat risk, promote indoor and outdoor heat safety and encourage those at greater risk of serious illness or death to connect to cooling centers and other resources.

Extreme heat often results in the highest annual number of deaths among all weather-related disasters in our country. Just last year, there were 645 heat-associated deaths in Maricopa County, up from 425 the previous year. 

Tempe is experiencing hotter temperatures earlier in the spring, later in the fall, and for longer periods of time, dangerously affecting our everyday lives and health.

Some Tempeans are impacted more than others by heat, particularly the unsheltered people, the elderly older adults, youth, outdoor workers, and energy-burdened households.

Find resources and educational material at tempe.gov/SafeSummer.