This summer has been one of the hottest we can remember. For our homeless neighbors, that kind of heat isn’t just uncomfortable, it can be life-threatening. That’s why the Rescue Mission activates Operation Hydration, providing cold water, a cool place to rest, showers, and life-saving outreach to men and women on our streets.

But this year was so hot, the extreme heat affected more than the people we serve. It affected the Mission itself. It all started the week of July 20, 2026.

July 22,2026

On a routine Wednesday, old pipes, super-heated ground, and unprecedented water demand, caused a city water main to burst directly in front of the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake. The water was shut off for nearly 24 hours, while more than 150 people were inside, expecting toilets, food, showers, and more.

We soon realized there were no working toilets, no running water to wash dishes, and no way to operate normally. There wasn’t time to panic, so our staff immediately pivoted.

We purchased emergency portable toilets and paper plates, cups, and disposable utensils replaced our normal kitchen service so meals could continue uninterrupted. Despite the outage, our homeless guests still had a safe place to stay, meals to eat, and dignity preserved.

July 23, 2026

Only a day later, another city water main failed, this time in front of our Women’s Center. The same emergency supplies we had just used at the Men’s Center were cleaned, loaded up, and rushed across town so our women could continue receiving care while city crews worked around the clock.

July 24th Weekend

As if that weren’t enough, over that same weekend, the cooling system at the Ogden Rescue Mission failed. Critical components had to be replaced before our guests could once again find relief from the dangerous heat. Thank you to Beckler HVAC for helping so fast!

Through it all, the Mission never closed, meals were still served, beds were still available, and cold water was still distributed, because homelessness doesn’t pause during an emergency.

Because of your support, neither do we!

These unexpected repairs and emergency purchases created unplanned expenses of nearly 15,000 dollars.

Prayerfully consider making a special gift today to help replenish emergency supplies and offset these unexpected costs, an out continued Operation Hydration through August. Your generosity keeps the water flowing, the swamp coolers running, and our doors open when our homeless neighbors need us most.

Because of you, when the heat reached record levels, hope never stopped!