With summer temperatures cranking up, St. Louis County has opened a 24/7 cooling shelter at The Salvation Army’s Family Haven on Page Avenue, offering a full slate of services for people who need a safe, cool place to land. The site is providing round-the-clock staff support along with meals, showers, laundry and on-site case management for residents who lack air conditioning or need overnight shelter.
What the shelter offers
According to The Salvation Army West Page Corps, the cooling shelter is staffed 24/7 and serves three meals a day. Guests have access to laundry facilities, showers and hygiene supplies, phone access and on-site case management. Life-skills support and employment assistance are also available. The program is a partnership between Saint Louis County and The Salvation Army and is operating out of the Family Haven site.
How to access it
The shelter is located at The Salvation Army Family Haven, 10740 Page Ave. A seasonal job posting for cooling-center staff lists the same address and temporary dates, and notes that positions are responsible for maintaining around-the-clock coverage. Per a job listing for The Salvation Army, the seasonal roles run June 16 to Sept. 4 and include overnight shifts at the cooling and warming center, which indicates that overnight services are in place at the site; the listing is available on LinkedIn.
Where to find other cooling centers
The Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services maintains an interactive map of official cooling centers around the state and advises residents to call United Way 2-1-1 for help accessing shelter or arranging transport to an overnight site. The agency also publishes heat-safety tips for people at higher risk in extreme temperatures and directs residents to the cooling centers map and 2-1-1 for the closest available options, as outlined in its overview and statewide cooling center map.
Why this matters
County agencies and nonprofits routinely roll out seasonal cooling programs to keep people safe when the heat spikes, and local outlets have spotlighted past summer operations at the Family Haven address. In prior years, local stations reported that St. Louis County operated a 24/7 cooling shelter at the same location. The goal is to protect people who do not have reliable access to air conditioning from dangerous temperatures, according to reporting by First Alert 4.
What to bring and who should go
Officials typically prioritize space for people without air conditioning, older adults, individuals with chronic medical conditions and anyone already feeling the effects of the heat. Guests are encouraged to bring identification, medications and other essential personal items. If someone shows signs of heat-related illness such as dizziness, confusion, fainting or a very high body temperature, residents should call 911. For non-emergency information or help with transportation and shelter referrals, people can call United Way 2-1-1 or check the statewide cooling center map, per the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services.
