WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — It isn't summer quite yet, but it sure feels like it.
As temperatures are on the rise, some residents in West Memphis are finding it hard to stay cool.
“These temperatures are skyrocketing. We’re seeing the 90’s,” said Good Neighbor Center Board President Tawana Bailey.
We spoke with one family who didn’t want to go on camera but told us their AC went out. Before getting a new unit, they turned to several fans.
They said if the current weather is any indication of how the summer will be, they’ll have to toughen it out. However, that doesn't have to be the case.
If you do find yourself struggling to stay cool this summer, there are resources to help such as the Good Neighbor Center.
“Now that it’s heating up here in the community, we do have a fan program where we’re able to assist our citizens with fans as well,” said Bailey. “We know if people get hot, it can cause medical issues, heat strokes, and different things like that. We definitely want to do our part to assist our residents here with those simple needs … If there’s something that the Good Neighbor Center can’t do, we have a ton of resources through the Mayor’s office that I can also assist with.”
They're just a visit or phone call away providing not only fans, but food and sometimes help with utilities.
“Unfortunately, people, whether we want to believe it or not, we’re still kind of sort of in a pandemic. There are still a lot of resources that are not readily available, but through places like our outreach department and the Good Neighbor Center, we can be that front-end person that can navigate and find those resources for you,” said Bailey.
To contact the Good Neighbor Center, you can call 870-732-7534.