Stockton, Calif. — As the mercury soars to triple digits, hundreds of Stockton's unhoused residents, including families with children, are seeking shelter from the scorching heat. St. Mary's Dining Room has become a crucial refuge, offering meals and overnight stays to the city’s most vulnerable populations.
Teo Navarrete, the senior director of operations at St. Mary's, reported that the facility sees between 700 to 800 people daily just for meals. "During our three meals, I would say between 700 and 800 [people] daily. That's in the dining room alone. That's not counting the resource center visits that we have every day. They're pretty booked," Navarrete said. The shelter has also installed water spigots outside to help address the need for constant hydration.
The risks of extreme heat are particularly severe for seniors and other vulnerable groups without access to air-conditioned environments. "Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat illness that occurs when the body loses the ability to regulate temperature, and it can cause a variety of physical problems such as confusion, headache, lightheadedness," explained Matthew Kiefer, an emergency room physician at St. John's Medical Center.
For individuals like 26-year-old Jeremy Rodriguez, who has been living in his car intermittently, the shelter offers a break from the heat. However, Rodriguez expresses concerns about security at such facilities: "It's always a worry of someone breaking into my car and stealing all my life. That's my safe haven, pretty much," he shared.
To further assist its residents, the City of Stockton has activated four cooling centers, providing air-conditioned spaces during the hottest hours of the day. The Arnold Rue Community Center and Stribley Community Center will remain open even on July Fourth, ensuring continuous support during the holiday heat.
The centers are located at:
1. Arnold Rue Community Center – 5758 Lorraine Ave., Stockton 95210
2. Stribley Community Center – 1760 E. Sonora St., Stockton 95205
3. Van Buskirk Community Center – 734 Houston Ave., Stockton 95206
4. Seifert Community Center – 128 W. Benjamin Holt Drive, Stockton 95207.
The Arnold Rue and Stribley Community Centers are open Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Thursday, July 4, and Sunday, July 7, from noon to 7 p.m. The Van Buskirk and Seifert Community Centers follow the same schedule but are closed on Thursday, July 4, and Sunday, July 7.
These centers, along with shelters like St. Mary's Dining Room, play a vital role in protecting the community during heatwaves, offering safe spaces where residents can cool down and stay hydrated.