Volunteers deliver supplies to seniors amid Chicago heat wave

A nonprofit is stepping up to help deliver supplies to seniors struggling amid the Chicago heat wave. 

The group "My Block, My Hood, My City" already delivered hundreds of supplies, like fans and cases of water, last week. Since then, the group has received more than 700 more requests from local seniors. 

Volunteers will gather at the group's headquarters at 540 W. 35th St.in Bridgeport from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Seniors are among the most vulnerable amid the Extreme Heat Warning, which remains in effect until Friday as highs climb into the mid-90s, feeling more like 105 to 110 degrees.   

"It seems like just hot weather, but that could turn dangerous real fast if we don't have no AC, and we can't get out to the place, so we put out a call called, you know, check on your people, especially your elders," said Jahmal Cole, founder of My Block My Hood My City. "As of this morning, we had over 750 elders reach out from all over Chicago."

If you'd like to help deliver these supplies, register on the My Block My Hood My City website. 

Find a cooling center in Chicago or Cook County

City officials said when temperatures climb into the 90s, cooling centers open, and other heat response efforts begin to ramp up to help protect vulnerable residents.

Cooling centers will be available throughout the week at community service centers, libraries, Chicago Park District fieldhouses, City College of Chicago facilities, and police stations during their hours of operation.

Six cooling centers across Chicago will be available, including:

• Auburn Gresham Center – 1140 W. 79th St.
• Garfield Center – 10 S. Kedzie Ave. 
• King Center – 4314 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
• North Area Center – 845 W. Wilson Ave.  
• South Chicago Center – 8650 S. Commercial Ave.  
• Trina Davila Center – 4312 W. North Ave.  

Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications also maintains a map of all cooling centers and public facilities in the city that can be used during a heat wave if you don't have reliable air conditioning.