Berkeley Co. nonprofit hosts cooling center to combat high temperatures

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - Nonprofit Project Love RDBNK kicks off the opening of its cooling center during a string of days of heat indexes drastically impacting the Lowcountry.

Project Love RDBNK is a nonprofit that exists to engage, encourage and equip the Goose Creek community along Red Bank Road. They’re partnering with The Blessing Bag Project, Berkeley County Community Organizations Active in Disasters and Berkeley County Emergency Management to make this initiative possible.

This cooling center is open to the homeless, those who work outside or even those who don’t have access to running AC. The nonprofit’s founder, Niccole Franklin, says everyone is welcome.

“Our heart is for people to be seen, for them to know that they are cared for and to realize they are not alone, even in the heat,” Franklin said.

Operating like a warming center, except with air conditioning, the facility will act like a home for a few hours a day to everyone -- targeting those who don’t easily have access to this luxury.

The center at 133 Red Bank Road will be open Thursday and Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. They are also providing movies, board games, coloring sheets and cold water.

On Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., lunch will be provided by The Lord’s Ladle soup kitchen at 142 Red Bank Road at the Goose Creek United Methodist Church. A sack lunch will be provided Thursday.

“It is the heart of Project Love RDBNK to meet people’s needs where they are,” Franklin said. “And so, this is one way to meet them where they’re at and love them well.”

Their founder says all future events like this will depend on how hot it will stay -- or even how hot it could get to.

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