CARBONDALE, Ill. (WSIL) -- The Carbondale Warming Center is once again acting as a cooling center as extreme temperatures hang around the region this week.
Executive director Carmalita Cahill was busy restocking snacks and making ice cold pink lemonade before the center opens its doors at noon.
"We just want to make sure that they have some place they can be," Cahill said. "It's really critical that we're here."
The center was originally a 12-hour center when it opened in 2019 and later ran 24-hours a day. The center recently cut back its hours due to dwindling funds. It's open every day from noon until 6 p.m. at the peak of high heat.
Cahill says it costs about $30,000 a month to keep the center running 24/7.
"COVID has been kind of declared over and that money is not there anymore to continuously assist with that," Cahill said.
The center is currently applying for grants in order to keep the center running for 24-hours by winter. At least 10 people came to the center Sunday and at least seven were there Monday afternoon.
Cahill says homeless people utilize the center the most but that anyone who doesn't have an air conditioning unit or lost power is welcome to stop in.
"The folks on the streets they don't have that opportunity on a regular basis," Cahill said. "Being able to offer.... a place not only where they can get online and check emails but that they can meet with other agencies here."
One homeless man said that the center has hosted around 30 people at one point. Cahill expects a high volume of people trying to escape the heat but doesn't know how much.
"It's hard to know what to expect," Cahill said. "We've seen new faces so I don't know. Today might be the day that we get a bunch of new faces."
Right now the center is accepting donations and is in need of bottled water, paper plates and cups. You can drop those off at the center at 608 East College Street.
You can also make a monetary donation to their
