DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — In the dog days of summer, efforts are underway to protect the most vulnerable in DeKalb County.
"Individuals experiencing homelessness, experience homelessness whatever the season," said Dr. Tammy Hughes with Frontline Response, a Christian-based nonprofit working in the community to support those experiencing homelessness.
A partner with DeKalb County, the group runs a warming center when it's cold and, for the first time, is offering a cooling center, too.
"So, we want to be responsive and have a place for individuals who can't come into their home to be able to come in and be at home," Hughes explained.
The National Center for Healthy Housing points to cooling centers "as an important resource during extreme heat events and are especially critical for houseless individuals or those without adequate cooling in their homes."
But transportation, Hughes said, can often be a barrier for some groups.
"We could open as just a cooling center and say, 'Hey, we're here...' But individuals experiencing homelessness are often transportation- disadvantaged," Hughes said.
So the Frontline team assists with that, too, by offering transportation and meeting individuals where they are.
"We have people that are coming from the City of Decatur, like around the square," Frontline Response Assistant Director of Development Kemberly English shared. "We also have individuals that are on Candler Road. Then, we also go into the City of Atlanta with under the bypasses just to see where individuals are."
Once at the cooling center, English said resources like water and snacks are just the start of available help.
"So, we wanna make sure that people are heard and when they feel comfortable and safe, then they'll reach out and call our hotline number," she said. "To actually talk about what that next step looks like. "
"One thing we wanna make sure is that we're here for everyone, and we have resources to address the issues of wherever they are," English added.
That mission, both English and Hughes emphasize, continues not only on extreme weather days but year-round.
"We want this to be a respite, but a respite with resources," she said.
Frontline's cooling center opens again Friday at 11 a.m. and as needed when DeKalb cooling centers activate.
The City of Atlanta partners with Gateway Center downtown to offer similar support for those experiencing homelessness.