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Tempe cooling center stays open with $61,000 donation amid extreme heat

By
FOX 10 Phoenix
Severe Weather
Published August 16, 2026 9:25 PM MST
Published August 16, 2026 9:25 PM MST
Tempe nonprofit donates over $61k to cooling center for vulnerable residents
Tempe nonprofit donates over $61k to cooling center for vulnerable residents

Tempe nonprofit donates over $61k to cooling center for vulnerable residents

A massive donation to the Church of Epiphany cooling center is helping vulnerable residents escape the heat. FOX 10's Annalisa Pardo learns how the donation directly helps locals.

The Brief

    • A more than $61,000 donation by Tempe Community Action Agency is keeping the Church of Epiphany cooling center open in Tempe.
    • The center provides relief for vulnerable populations and those on fixed incomes trying to escape the extreme heat.
    • Maricopa County has recorded 63 heat-related deaths so far this year, with hundreds more under investigation.

TEMPE, Ariz. - As temperatures heat up this week, a resource to help people cool down is staying open, and it is all thanks to a massive donation.

Local perspective:

Elevar Maximus is just one of the many people finding relief here from the summer heat.

"I am here today at this cooling center to find relief and peace from the heat so that I don't die, because Arizona is very hot," said Maximus. "It can be three to five days a week that I'm here."

What we know:

Getting water, rest, and access to resources is a way to help the community, provided by the community. The cooling center is open thanks to a more than $61,000 donation by the non-profit Tempe Community Action Agency.

"In these extreme temperatures here in Arizona, we need a place for our most vulnerable population to be able to get a break from the heat but also those households on a fixed income, instead of having to run their AC all day long, which therefore results in an increase in expenses they're able to come here," said Xavier Gonzalez, Associate Director of Programs for TCAA.

Big picture view:

So far this year, there have been 63 heat-related deaths in Maricopa County, with hundreds more deaths still being investigated if they were heat-related.

"Imagine that you're outside in the sun for all these hours, and you didn't have any resources like water or food and nobody cared about you. We're lucky to have these places," Maximus said.

What you can do:

Tempe Community Action Agency says they are always looking for volunteers and donations of water, snacks, hygiene products and sunscreen.

"The people here would be grateful to know you," Maximus said.

The Church of Epiphany cooling center is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Elevar Maximus, the Tempe Community Action Agency, Xavier Gonzalez, and Maricopa County.

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