LITTLE ROCK Ark.; (KTHV)--So far this summer is full of record breaking temperatures and little rain. With it being so hot, homeless shelters are working overtime to keep the homeless cool.
The triple digit temperatures are tough on everyone, especially those without air conditioning and even homes. The compassion center is working overtime to help people stay cool and out of the heat. "I come up here during the week and have lunch and enjoy the air conditioning because it's been awful hot out there."
William Furr has been coming to the Little Rock compassion center for the past nine years. He says this place is crucial, especially during the hot summer months. "It's like night and day when you come in here and sit, it's awesome." The center has nine air conditioning units running, keeping it near a comfortable 75 degrees.
"This heat is just day after day of triple digit heat and it effects them a great deal because a lot of them have to walk and when you are out in that hot sun on the roads it gets mighty hot on them, I mean on some roads the heat gets up to 115 120 degrees." Senior Pastor William Holloway, with the Compassion Center, says their facility is a cooling center for not only the homeless but anyone in need. "A lot of people have a home or house but they don't have any lights, gas or water they come in here a lot of times for lunch and supper and just stick around to cool off."
And the hotter it gets the more people come in; Holloway estimates they are hosting 25 percent more people than a typical summer, trying to stay out of the heat. Pastor Holloway says they are sleeping nearly 200 people every night, and serving about 500 meals a day. Each person is allowed to stay there for ten night, but with the high temperatures they are making exceptions.