The Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri is a non-profit organization located in Cape Girardeau, that focuses on low-income individuals who need assistance. They offer Southeast Missouri families with help through food banks, as well as rental and housing assistance. But during the hot summer months, they also run Cooling Centers.
Cooling Centers are air-conditioned public spaces set up to help prevent health problems that come with high summer heat, such as hyperthermia and heatstroke. With Southeast Missouri reaching highs between 90 to 100 degrees during the Summer of 2022, cooling centers are greatly needed.
With people struggling to be able to find proper housing, the summer heat can be more dangerous. Calvin Garner, the Director of Operations with Community Partnership, recognizes the necessity of cooling centers and says it is important to give people a safe place, even if temporarily.
"We want to make sure that a person at least has access to a place to be. We recognize that there is a lack of affordable housing, [and] we know that we have no shelters here in our community. So a lot of our people that are homeless, or in transition, they need a place just to absolutely just exist and to be."
One such facility can be found at 40 South Sprigg Street in Cape Girardeau. There, people can not only cool off, but showers, laundry services, and food are also provided at the facility.
In addition to cooling centers, the Community Partnership of Southeast also offers rental assistance to those who struggle to find housing. They also hold food drives and distribute groceries to families in need.
For more information on services provided by the Community Partnership, you may visit their official website, or for regular updates and announcements, you may visit their Facebook page, at CPSemo.
