“Sir! Would you like a popsicle?” Linda Mossholder shouted across East Main Street to a man walking his bicycle along the sidewalk.
Mossholder has been volunteering at the Newark Homeless Outreach for seven years now. She knows nearly all of the visitors by name and becomes concerned when they don’t show up for the weekly programs that include offers of free food and clothing.
Licking County has been struck with a heat wave that has pushed temperatures in the 90s and humidity that feels almost tropical, pushing the “feels like” temperature to a heat index above 100 degrees.
| Read more: Community Drop-In Center open in Newark as heat wave stresses Licking Countians
During times like this, many people rush into their air conditioned homes or a pool for the day. But unhoused people don’t have that luxury.
There’s some relief on this day at the Newark Homeless Outreach, a blue building on the corner of North Buena Vista Street and East Main Street in Newark. The sun shines brightly on the building, recently updated with a colourful mural that reads, “We will not be erased. We leave an imprint.”
On a day that had people sweating the second they stepped outside, Mossholder and fellow volunteers Nancy Welu and Anne Thomspon left an imprint. They showed up to help those who were lacking shelter from the sun.
“They’re our people, our guests,” Mossholder said.
The women sat in lawn chairs in the shade of the building’s roof, chatting and laughing and welcoming anyone who needed a cold drink, a treat, or a mini battery-operated fan.
A woman walked by with her belongings in a small, clear bag.
“Ma’am, would you like water?” asked Thompson, who stood up to grab a water bottle from a tall stack of bottles and a popsicle from the nearby freezer.
“I spent the night in prison last night, and just got let out; thank you,” the woman said.
“Would you like to call someone on my phone?” Mossholder asked. She handed over her phone to the woman, making sure she had a safe place to go and people who knew her whereabouts.
Not only did people stop by on this hot day, but dogs did, too. A water bowl was ready for any furry visitors, which also found dog food and treats. A small chihuahua named Puppy made a stop to get water.
Despite the heat, every guest was greeted with a smile and genuine care.
As each guest left, the volunteers would urge them to “stay safe out there.”
Ellen Hansen writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.