Crossroads Mission helps homeless community in the hot summer months

Harsh winter and summer months are often unbearable without food, water or shelter. During the summer, the homeless community of Yuma turns to Crossroads Mission for help.

Myra Garlit, executive director of Crossroads Mission said, “the chronically homeless would really rather stay outside than stay inside the shelter but when it gets so extremely hot they will come in.”

Crossroads as well as their Second Chance thrift store, act as a cooling station during the summer as well as a place for people to get water.

For Crossroads, one of the main goals is to keep the homeless community hydrated, which is why Crossroads holds summer water drives.

The water bottles given to the homeless become a commodity and many homeless people who live along the river make the journey to fill up their gallon water tanks.

In addition to staying hydrated, Crossroads wants to keep the homeless sober by getting them involved in programs that get them jobs and keeping them involved with the community.

A breakfast and a lunch meal are provided at Crossroads for anyone who stays the night. These meals make food donations important in keeping the homeless fed.

Spragues, as well as the food bank, holds meat drives during the summer in which the community and even hunters can donate meat, water or blankets that are not in use.

Anything donated to the mission is put to use. For example, blankets and jackets that are donated during summer are saved for the winter months.

During the summer, “we have overflow beds that we use during that time so they’ll have somewhere to sleep,” Garlit said.

Crossroads is currently in need of ordering 28 new mattresses and 30 new bed mats for people to sleep on.

If you would like to donate to Crossroads Mission, visit their website at http://crossroadsmission.org/, or visit the shelter on 944 S. Arizona Avenue.