Savannah shelter helps homeless people beat the heat

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTGS) — Old Savannah Mission is a place for people experiencing homelessness to sleep, shower, and find shelter during the hot Savannah summers.

Larry McDaniel, the executive director of The Shelter, founded Old Savannah Mission 24 years ago.

McDaniel said The Shelter has experience helping people get through the Georgia heat.

“It’s unusually hot in Savannah, this time of year, and we know that because it does this every summer," said McDaniel.

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According to McDaniel, The Mission upgraded the heating and cooling systems in the building.

“We have just recently spent about fifty-sixty thousand dollars to upgrade our air-conditioning, this year," McDaniel said. "So, the men can come in here and enjoy a real night’s comfort.”

McDaniel says people of all ages are allowed to use The Mission’s services, and the facility is equipped to handle the busier days and nights.

“We have a lot of older people who come in here," McDaniel said. "So, they can come and sit down in our dining room or chapel, and stay as long as they want to, and then they can stay overnight with us if they want to.”

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McDaniel said that they have 44 beds for overnight guests, but when there is extreme weather, The Mission can accommodate more people.

“We have rollout mats that we put here on the floor of the chapel, and we’ll have sometimes fifty or sixty people who will come and stay here on the mats," said McDaniel.