This month reminds me again why we launched Operation Hydration.

As I write this, temperatures reaching over 104 degrees along the Wasatch Front. The danger of heat for people living without stable shelter is not theoretical, it is immediate. When the body is already weakened by exposure, dehydration can turn a difficult day into a life-threatening emergency in a matter of hours.

I recently had an interaction with officers from the police department near the Mission that brought this reality into sharp focus. They were in the process of arresting an individual for homeless-related offenses. As they worked through the situation, it became clear that the individual they had taken into custody was severely dehydrated. The officers were doing their job, but the physical condition of the individual complicated everything.

I stepped outside the Mission to speak with the officers. I shared with them what we have been seeing across Utah and what Operation Hydration is designed to address, the need for immediate access to cold water, shade, and basic care for people experiencing homelessness during extreme heat. One of the officers shared how he had stepped inside the Rescue Mission and grabbed a bottle of water for the person they were helping. In that brief exchange, the conversation shifted from enforcement to human need and immediate stabilization.

What encouraged me most was what happened the next day. As I was observing the same area, I noticed officers had placed coolers of cold water in their vehicles, and were handing cold water bottles to our homeless population. Not for policy reasons or announcements—but because they had seen firsthand what dehydration looks like on the street. In their daily interactions, even when people are being asked to move along or taken into custody, the officers were now able to offer something as simple and life-saving as cold water.

That is what Operation Hydration is meant to do: bridge gaps in real time. At the Rescue Mission, we are committed not only to provide shelter and recovery services, but also to meet immediate physical needs in the field. Through outreach teams, volunteers, and our partners, Operation Hydration is bringing water, hats, care kits, and compassion directly into the community, while also offering a place of refuge inside our doors.

Inside the Mission, guests find cooling spaces, showers, clean clothing, and access to case management and life changing programs. Just as importantly, they find people who see them and respond quickly to urgent needs.

We continue to strengthen this work through partnerships across the city, including with local law enforcement who are often the first on scene. When we work together, even small acts—like a bottle of cold water—can become a moment of dignity and a step toward stability.

God bless you,

Chris D. Croswhite

Executive Director