WASHINGTON 鈥� It鈥檚 often winter鈥檚 cold nights that spark concern over the health and well-being of the homeless. But the long days of summer are just as dangerous.
Maxine Abayomicole, 65, sums it up in one sentence: 鈥淭o be homeless in the summer is a catastrophe,鈥� she said.
When you have no shelter from the sun, no reprieve from high temperatures and no reliable access to clean water, summer isn鈥檛 so fun and carefree.
Abayomicole is a regular client at , a nonprofit organization in D.C.鈥檚 Columbia Heights neighborhood that works to prevent and end homelessness. For the past four years, she has been coming to Thrive to receive meals and get help refilling her prescriptions. Abayomicole says she also comes for companionship.
And while Abayomicole is not homeless herself, many of the friends she has made at Thrive are, and she sees the struggles they endure everyday.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e thirsty, they鈥檙e tired, they鈥檙e sweating and they don鈥檛 have any place to go,鈥� she said.
During summer, D.C. sets up cooling centers throughout the city, but getting to those centers isn鈥檛 easy if you don鈥檛 have access to transportation.
鈥淚f you don鈥檛 have the funds, then you have to walk,鈥� Abayomicole said. 鈥淚n the winter, we have the hypothermia vans that pick you up 鈥� they don鈥檛 do that in the summer.鈥�
Alicia Horton, executive director of Thrive DC, says not everyone is aware of the cooling centers. She sets out fliers highlighting the various locations at Thrive鈥檚 morning meal, but that only reaches a small sample of the homeless community.
鈥淚t is not an end-all be-all for folks, particularly for those who don鈥檛 have the means to get there, don鈥檛 have the transportation funds to migrate across the city to get to those places,鈥� she said. 聽
Clothes and socks soaked with sweat contribute to infections, and dehydration is a main concern.
鈥淭o be out in that heat can be life threatening,鈥� Horton added.
And that鈥檚 just the tip of summer鈥檚 iceberg. While heat and humidity are predictable throughout the season, severe thunderstorms that come with high winds and dangerous bursts of lightning are less calculable.
鈥淭he thunderstorms that we鈥檝e been having here this summer have been accompanied by tremendous winds, tree limbs are falling 鈥� it really is a hazard just to be outdoors,鈥� Horton said.
Thrive DC helps the homeless navigate summer鈥檚 hazards as much as possible. The organization offers programming in an air-conditioned space throughout the day. Clients can work in the computer lab, undergo job training or even take a music class.
Those who visit Thrive can also do their laundry and take a shower.
鈥淎 cold shower in the summertime can really make the difference between you feeling like a human being and not, so we really have thought to create a service that addresses some of those unseen needs,鈥� Horton said.
If you want to help, Thrive is always in need of , such as ponchos, toiletries and personal care items to hand out to its guests.
Looking out for others during these hot weeks also goes a long way.
鈥淚f you see somebody laying on the ground, don鈥檛 assume he鈥檚 drunk. He鈥檚 tired, he鈥檚 hungry, he doesn鈥檛 know where to go, so [he鈥檚] going to sleep right here on this cement, which is cool,鈥� Abayomicole said.
Horton says if you see someone who appears to be in distress, call 911 and let a medical professional assess the situation. And of course, direct them to Thrive.
鈥淭hrive has an open-door policy. They turn no one away,鈥� Abayomicole said.
