Helping Our Clients Stay Safe This Summer
As summer temperatures continue to climb across the Midlands, Transitions Homeless Center is asking for your support through Operation H.E.A.T. (Heat Engagement and Assistance Time), our annual summer initiative to help individuals experiencing homelessness stay safe and healthy during the hottest months of the year.
Operation H.E.A.T. helps provide access to drinking water, ice, air-conditioned spaces, showers, meals, and other essential resources for those seeking relief from the summer heat.
"Extreme heat can be just as dangerous as extreme cold," said Craig Currey, CEO of Transitions. "Many people don't realize how quickly dehydration or heat-related illness can become life-threatening when you're living outdoors. Operation H.E.A.T. is about protecting our neighbors, meeting immediate needs, and reminding people they are not alone."
How You Can Help
There are two ways to support Operation H.E.A.T. this summer:
Make a financial gift to help provide shelter, meals, water, and other essential services.
Donate cases of bottled water to help keep our clients hydrated during periods of extreme heat.
Cases of bottled water may be dropped off Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at our facility or shipped directly to:
Transitions Homeless Center
2025 Main Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Throughout the summer, individuals experiencing homelessness are encouraged to utilize the Transitions Day Center, where they can cool off, meet their basic needs, and connect with supportive services that can help them move toward permanent housing. The Day Center provides access to drinking water, nutritious meals, showers, laundry facilities, hygiene supplies, computers, case management, housing assistance, and other resources that help individuals regain stability.
Transitions serves an average of 330 adults each day through its shelter and Day Center and assists more than 3,500 individuals annually with emergency shelter, meals, healthcare, employment support, housing services, and pathways to long-term stability.
"We want people to know they have a place to come when the temperatures become dangerous," said Shanice Bligen, Vice President of Programs at Transitions. "Something as simple as a cool place to rest, a bottle of water, or a shower can make a tremendous difference—and it often becomes the first step toward rebuilding a life."
Every gift, whether financial or in-kind, helps provide water, shelter, meals, and the support our clients need to stay safe throughout the summer.
Thank you for helping us keep our community safe, hydrated, and cool this summer.
