HOUSTON – As Houston’s summer heat ramps up into triple digits, Star of Hope, one the city’s oldest and largest mission for the homeless, says it’s in urgent need of bottled water.
With temperatures climbing and humidity thick in the air, the most basic need becomes one of the hardest to meet, which is staying hydrated.
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“One of the principal areas of concern that we have in summertime is dehydration,” said Doug Meikle, President and CEO of Star of Hope. “So the men and women who are either in our care, who live on the streets, who are without a home, one of their principal issue right now is (staying) hydration.”
The organization serves hundreds of people each day, offering not just shelter and food but also reaching people directly on the streets. Water donations help both those staying inside the shelter and those still outside.
“We gather in these bottles of water donation and we give them out both to the people who are in our care but also folks that we visit as we go through the day visiting homeless locations around the city,” Meikle said.
And while hydration is a physical need, Meikle says the effects of going without it go much deeper, especially in extreme heat.
“We see an increasing issue of mental health concerns,” he said. “That is related to the lack of nutrition and also adequate hydration, in the sense that the body is stressed. So those stresses tend to come out in behaviors that no one wants, including the people who are without a home.”
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Since issuing a public call for help on Tuesday, Star of Hope has seen a welcome bump in water donations. But with more high-heat days ahead, the need is still pressing.
“We like to keep these appeals out in front of folks because at the end of the day people are busy… the next time they go (to the grocery store) they buy a 12-pack of waters and give it to us as a donation,” Meikle said.
How you can help
Water donations can be shipped directly through Star of Hope’s Amazon Wish List or dropped off at:
Women & Family Development Center at Star of Hope’s Cornerstone Community
2575 Reed Road, Houston, TX 77051
Star of Hope Donation and Distribution Center
2320 Lamar, Houston, TX 77003
