With climate change and extreme heat, people are beginning to realize the necessity of the Cooling Centers program and are more invested in improving it.
"An air conditioner is not a luxury anymore," said State Sen. Cordell Cleare, who introduced a bill to expand the state-run Cooling Assistance Benefit.
“If you get cash assistance, you are caught up in really significant delays, in a way that you would not be if you were only receiving SNAP,” said Katie Kelleher of the Legal Aid Society.
“As a climate solution, being able to swim in your local waters just seems like a no-brainer,” said Jake Madelone, senior waterfront education coordinator at Waterfront Alliance.