It’s a hot day among the Homeless today.
Today as I walked among the homeless in the day room at the Lodestar Day Resource Center, I was informed that a homeless woman had died today on the sidewalk outside of the campus. She was well-known by the residents and some of the staff. One person informed she was 85 years old.
Walking out of the dayroom I saw the yellow crime tape to the northeast side of the campus with several police vehicles. As there is not direct route to that side of the campus, I had to walk around the block. Arriving at the scene, I walked to the crime tape and prayed for the woman covered by a white sheet. I offered support to the police officers who were patrolling the scene. They were grateful for my support.
Walking around the police vehicles, I encountered several Human Service Campus staff and residents of the Zone near the woman. The woman’s name was Angel (name changed) and she was in her early 60s. Pointing to the white covered body, several talked to me about the woman. “She has been sitting here on the sidewalk for several days.” “She refused water and food.” “I told her to get out of the hot sun. She refused. She just kept talking to herself.”
The staff pointed out that there was no water handy where the homeless were hanging out in the Zone. Knowing that a local pastor had given me 60 bottles of water yesterday, I knew I had to do something. I asked one of the men if he would accompany me to my office to retrieve the two cases of water and bring them back. We put them in my car and delivered them to the staff.
Please carry extra water with you as you go out to do your errands. If you can, collect some cases of water and deliver them to the Human Service Campus. Call Gina Brockdorff, 602-391-6701, for drop off locations or look at the Heat Relief map for Maricopa County for a drop off location near you: http://azmag.gov/Programs/Homelessness/Heat-Relief-Regional-Network
By the way it was 108 F. out there in the Zone and is all asphalt and concrete.
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