As the heatwave passes through New York City, air conditioning is essential to beat the heat. That’s why the Salvation Army will be opening its doors as cooling centers to Queens residents in Jamaica and Ridgewood.
The Jamaica Citadel at 90-23 161st St., and the Ridgewood Citadel at 69-23 Cypress Hills St., will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. as a safe, air-conditioned place for those who need it.
Sometimes hours are extended to 8 p.m. at the Jamaica location.
Lt. Stanley Pierre-Louis from the Jamaica Citadel said they want to make sure their community is safe from the extreme heat.
“At the Salvation Army Jamaica Citadel Corps Community, we understand the discomfort for those who do not have access to a cool place during a scorching day,” Pierre Louis said. “Also, we are aware of the effects of extreme heat on people who are exposed. As our goal is doing the most good, therefore it is significant that we open our building as a safe air-conditioned place for the community during extreme heat.”
The Salvation Army usually expects 30 people in a cooling center. Water, tea, coffee and free lunches are provided Monday’s through Wednesday’s as long as the cooling centers are needed.
For more information on Salvation Army cooling centers around the city, visit salvationarmyny.org. City-sponsored cooling centers can be found at nyc.gov/cooling-center.
