Summer is obviously here, with its triple digit temperatures, but not everyone has the luxury of air conditioning.

The homeless population around the Valley has limited options when it comes to escaping the heat.

That’s why Grace Lutheran Church, ELCA, which is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, opens its doors to the area homeless Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and serves sack lunches during the noon hour.

For the fourth year in a row, New Journey Lutheran Church, ELCA, of Fountain Hills is helping with the Heat Respite program at Grace in the City.

On June 22 the local church hosted a sack lunch food pack and, with all the community volunteers, participants were able to make 200 sack lunches in less than one hour.

The menu consisted of thickly sliced meat with two slices of cheese on a sandwich, fresh veggies, fruit, chips, homemade chocolate chip cookies and candy.

“We were thinking of the dietary needs of the homeless and wanted to provide a hardy protein sandwich with fresh vegetables and some fruit. And, who doesn’t like homemade chocolate chip cookies?” said Al Martin, the New Journey Heat Respite 2014 point person.

One community volunteer who helped make these hardy sandwiches told Martin: “I felt needed and useful. It was a good feeling to be left with.”

The sack lunches were delivered to Grace in the City on Monday, June 23, for lunch that day. And, by 12:30 p.m., they were all gone.

Martin added, “We chose dates towards the end of the month as those who do receive some form of monetary support have expended that support before the end of the month.

“And, we chose Mondays because those who have expended their support before the end of the month generally have not had anything to eat over the weekend. So, on Mondays near the end of the month, homeless persons are left hungry.”

New Journey has two more scheduled sack lunch packs for Heat Respite, 2014: July 27 and Aug. 24 at noon at New Journey Lutheran Church, 16748 Parkview Ave., Fountain Hills.

Community volunteers of all ages are invited to assist as many hands are needed to make these meals for the homeless.