CLEVELAND — As we’re in the midst of a heat wave this week, experiencing potentially record breaking temperatures, staying cool is everyone’s top priority.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the heat is the leading cause of weather-related fatalities in the United States.

That’s why Laura’s Home, a women and children’s shelter, is helping those in need escape from the high temperatures.

“Because of the extreme heat, we knew that we had to open up our overflow and be able to be a cooling center as well as a place to stay because it is so dangerously hot outside,” said Linda Uveges, CEO of The City Mission.

Uveges said those experiencing homelessness are 200 times more likely to die of a heat-related cause than sheltered individuals. 

“We will not turn anybody away. We want everybody to come in out of the extreme temperatures so that they are safe and cared for,” Uveges said.

The shelter provides air-conditioned rooms for people to stay in, along with meals and cold water because staying hydrated during this heat wave is crucial. 

“So often people think shelter is really just for the cold months in the wintertime, but for women and children, it’s especially a higher need during the summer. We get more calls in the summer than we do all year,” Uveges said.

She said this is because schools out and the kids don’t have anywhere else to go. 

“You don’t often see children out on the street, you see men and single women, but the hidden population of families are staying in places that aren’t safe, that isn’t ideal for a mom and her children so last night we received 86 calls, so between women and children, 86 people were in need for shelter,” Uveges said.

Last year, The City Mission served 991 individuals, with over 73,000 nights of shelter. They said it’s during these extreme temperatures that their facilities go into overflow to provide vital care for men, women and children in crisis.