Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (SOTH) participated in the Grace in the City Heat Respite Program at Grace Lutheran Church, located in central Phoenix.

SOTH volunteers, along with HouzAZ & Associates – Realty One Group volunteers from Glendale, worked together to serve lunches to over 100 guests. Lunch included sandwiches, potato salad, chips, pickles, desserts and bottled water. The volunteers also assembled 100 post-lunch sacks with sandwiches, juice, fruit cup, and cheerios for guests to enjoy later in the day.

SOTH held a Heat Respite water drive and delivered three palates of bottled water to Grace Lutheran Church in Phoenix. The Heat Respite program began June 13 and runs through Aug. 26.

In addition to providing a cool setting in Hope Fellowship Hall, the guests receive clothes, hygiene kits and help finding a job and obtaining medical care.

Built in 1918, Grace Lutheran is the oldest Lutheran church in Arizona. The church works with the Maricopa County Heat Relief Network with the goal of preventing heat-related deaths among the homeless and other vulnerable populations.

“Our mission during the summer months is to provide a space for heat relief while building community through the sharing of community resources, meals, water and ourselves in a place of being, belonging and becoming,” Grace Lutheran Pastor Sarah Stadler said. “Our Heat Respite program aspires to reach out to not only the physical needs of all those who come through the doors, but to their fullness as human beings. We invite our guests into the deeper fellowship of our congregation.”

Groups are encouraged to participate in the Heat Respite Program by providing cases of water bottles and volunteering to serve a cold or cooked lunch meal during the summer. For more information, contact outreach@graceinthecity.com.