As the hottest months of the year approach this summer, St. Louis County will again operate a cooling shelter in partnership with the Salvation Army for the third year in a row.

The County Council approved a $56,900 contract with the Salvation Army to run the shelter on an emergency basis last week, at least the second time that the legislation happened on an emergency basis. The contract is retroactive to July 1, when the shelter opened.

The cooling shelter is at 10740 Page Ave., St. Louis, MO, 63132. It will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week from Monday, July 1 through Friday, Sept. 6. The shelter can accommodate up to 48 individuals on any given day.

The county began partnering on the shelter with the Salvation Army in summer 2017. Before that, the county used its recreation centers as cooling centers.

This year, the only recreation center open as a cooling shelter is the Affton White-Rodgers Community Center, 9801 Mackenzie Road. It will be open during normal business hours until Sept. 6.

People in need of finding cooling shelters can view a map of all available cooling shelters in their area by visiting the county map here. All St. Louis County Library branches also serve as cooling shelters.

“Our goal is to prevent loss of life for unsheltered homeless individuals and families during extreme weather conditions,” said the county’s Office of Family and Community Services Director Dr. Yusef Scoggin in a news release.

“During these peak summer months, it’s important to make sure all of our residents are safe and comfortable,” St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said in the release. “I’m proud of St. Louis County’s commitment to its citizens’ well-being, and I thank the Salvation Army for its collaboration on this important service.”

Salvation Army staff at the cooling shelter will assist in providing meals, laundry facilities and case management services.

Additionally, the shelter will help link the unsheltered to services provided by the St. Louis County Continuum of Care, and it will serve as an avenue for those experiencing homelessness to be placed on a regional housing list.

For more information, those in need may contact the Salvation Army at 314-423-7770 or the Regional Help Line at 314-802-5444.