As temperatures climb this week, local governments and community partners across Southwest and Southside Virginia are opening cooling centers and offering other assistance.
A map of cooling centers throughout Virginia is available on the Virginia Department of Health’s website. A guide to cooling centers in some of the communities we cover is available below; we will update this list as more information becomes available.
If you know of resources that aren’t on this list, please send information to news@cardinalnews.org.
Statewide
Low-income seniors may be eligible for free fans or window air conditioners through the Senior Cool Care program. The program is open to adults aged 60 or older who live below 150% of the poverty level. A full list of requirements and participating agencies across Virginia is online.
Virginia’s Department of Social Services offers cooling assistance to eligible households. The program supports electric bills to run air conditioners or fans, repair or replacement of cooling equipment, purchase and installation of one air conditioning unit (if none is working), and security deposits for new or reconnected service. Applications are accepted through Aug. 15. You may qualify if your household has someone under age 6 or age 60-plus, or with a disability, and meets income limits. Full eligibility details are at https://commonhelp.virginia.gov/ or call VDSS at 855-635-4370.
Danville
The Redemption Center Church in Danville is opening its doors as a cooling center any day that temperatures climb above 90 degrees this summer.
The church, located at 625 Shelton St., offers an air-conditioned space, water, phone charging stations and restrooms for individuals and families.
The church is asking community partners, churches, businesses and others to “help us meet the growing needs of those we serve” by donating items listed on its Facebook page.
Other places, like public libraries in Danville and Pittsylvania and city recreation centers, may also offer refuge from the heat.
Franklin County/Rocky Mount
The Franklin County Public Library’s Rocky Mount and Westlake branches are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday “for anyone who needs a break from the heat,” according to the county’s Facebook page.
The Rocky Mount Branch also offers free meals and snacks from Feeding Southwest Virginia for children ages 1 to 18. Sack lunches from noon-1 p.m, and snacks from 3-3:30 p.m.
Lynchburg
Lynchburg will operate cooling centers with free bottled water across the city during business hours on Wednesday and Thursday, including:
- The lobby of the Department of Human Services building on Ninth Street;
- The Miller Center, at both the first floor library hub entrance and the second floor customer service desk, on Grove Street;
- The downtown branch of the Lynchburg Public Library on 12th Street.
Two additional locations will be open Wednesday through Friday: the Salvation Army on Park Avenue and The Refuge on Memorial Avenue. More details on the cooling centers can be found on the city’s website.
Two pop-up cooling events are also planned at Miller Park on Thursday. The Lynchburg Public Library will host a “splash party” from noon to 2 p.m., featuring activities such as water balloon tosses. The Lynchburg Fire Department will open a nearby fire hydrant to create a spray area from 2 to 4 p.m.
Martinsville
The Martinsville-Henry County Family YMCA is opening its doors as a community cooling center this week during business hours. The YMCA is located at 3 Starling Ave. and will offer bottled water, indoor seating and an air-conditioned space for community members to cool off for up to 90 minutes.
Roanoke
The city of Roanoke has opened the following cooling center locations:
- Belmont Presbyterian Church: 1005 Ninth St. S.E.
- Belmont Library: 1101 Morningside St. S.E.
- Gainsboro Library: 15 Patton Ave. N.W.
- The Hope Center: 510 11th St. N.W.
- Main Branch Library: 706 S. Jefferson St.
- Melrose Library: 2502 Melrose Ave. N.W.
- Raleigh Court Library: 2112 Grandin Road S.W.
- Williamson Road Library: 3837 Williamson Road
The city’s social media pages say that all libraries, Belmont Presbyterian Church and the Hope Center of Northwest will be open during normal business hours with air-conditioning and access to water.
