On July 22, employees from Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital delivered 207 cases of water, Gatorade, and Propel Water to the city of Tempe’s HOPE homeless outreach team.

The hospital had been holding its first annual summer water drive since the beginning of July, and was able to, with the help of a generous donation from its local PepsiCo distributor partner, collect 207 cases of much needed water and beverages, according to a news release. Special recognition goes to Haichau Phan, registered nurse Jay Chikowski and Chris Greenough, who not only donated water but also donated their time to help collect and distribute the entire delivery in the 116-degree heat.

The healthcare professionals at Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital know just how dangerous, and potentially deadly, the Phoenix summer temperatures can be, especially for those in the community who cannot escape the blistering heat. The hospital sees hundreds of cases of heat related illnesses come through the emergency department every summer. So, the hospital partnered with the city of Tempe and its HOPE team (Homeless Outreach Prevention Effort) to help provide much needed water and Gatorade for the nine heat relief locations spread out through Tempe.

“At Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital, we save lives everyday inside our hospital, but by providing this donation, we hope to save even more members of our community before they are rushed through our Emergency Department doors with heat-related conditions,” said Sue Peck, Chief Nursing Officer at Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital, in a statement.

Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital President Brent Cope added, “The mission of the hospital is to improve the quality of life in our community by providing compassionate, high-quality health care, that is driven by values, led by innovation, and focused on excellence, service, and collaboration. And with actions by our staff like this water drive, food & blood drives, and participation in community events like the annual Heart Walk, Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital is helping to improve lives by delivering a wide variety of compassionate health-related services to our community.”

The city of Tempe is grateful for the generous donation and partnership with Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital, said Jessica Wright, Tempe Homeless Solutions Supervisor.

“During the summer months, it’s critical that individuals experiencing homelessness have access to heat relief locations where they can cool off and hydrate,” Wright said in a statement. “This donation ensures that we have plenty of water and Gatorade on hand at those locations and also out in the field. The simple act of handing out a cold bottle of water can start a conversation about how we can help an individual connect with resources.”

The hospital’s next scheduled drive designed to give back to the community is its bi-annual blood drive on Aug. 16 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in suite 107 at the Medical Office Building located on the hospital’s campus.