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Drop-in Center
A drop-in center is a service agency for either the mentally ill, homeless people, teenagers, and other communities that offers a place where people can go to obtain food and other services. A mental health drop-in center can provide a friendly environment for people who are struggling with mental health symptoms to recover. Also in another case, a drop-in center as opposed to a homeless shelter usually does not provide a temporary residence; rather, it aims to provide other services to endangered or disadvantaged groups in the community, including the homeless, people with addictions, or teenagers. Drop-in centers are usually open during the daytime. Some regular drop-in centers double as warming centers or cooling centers in the winter or summer, and may provide overnight shelter during these months. Many drop-in centers provide free services, and some offer services for a nominal fee. References See also * Soup kitchen * Warming center * Cooling center A cooling center ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Homeless Shelter
Homeless shelters are a type of homeless service agency which provide temporary residence for homeless individuals and families. Shelters exist to provide residents with safety and protection from exposure to the weather while simultaneously reducing the environmental impact on the community. They are similar to, but distinguishable from, various types of emergency shelters, which are typically operated for specific circumstances and populations—fleeing natural disasters or abusive social circumstances. Extreme weather conditions create problems similar to disaster management scenarios, and are handled with warming centers, which typically operate for short durations during adverse weather. Homeless population Health issues Hundreds of homeless individuals die each year from diseases, untreated medical conditions, lack of nutrition, starvation, and exposure to extreme cold or hot weather. In a mild-wintered San Francisco in 1998, homeless people were purportedly 58% mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Addiction
Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use often alters brain function in ways that perpetuate craving, and weakens (but does not completely negate) self-control. This phenomenon – drugs reshaping brain function – has led to an understanding of addiction as a brain disorder with a complex variety of psychosocial as well as neurobiological (and thus involuntary) factors that are implicated in addiction's development. Classic signs of addiction include compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, ''preoccupation'' with substances or behavior, and continued use despite negative consequences. Habits and patterns associated with addiction are typically characterized by immediate gratification (short-term reward), coupled with delayed deleterious effects (long-term costs). Examp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Warming Center
A warming center (also a heat bank or warm bank) is a short-term emergency shelter that operates when temperatures or a combination of precipitation, wind chill, wind and temperature become dangerously inclement. Their paramount purpose is the prevention of death and injury from exposure to the elements. This may include acute trauma from falling objects such as trees, or injury to extremities due to frostbite. A more prevalent emergency which warming centers seek to prevent is hypothermia, the risk for which is aggravated by factors such as age, alcohol consumption, and homelessness. Purpose Thus warming centers are frequently directed to the circumstances of persons who are ''unsheltered'' due to a personal state of homelessness and who, for one reason or another, do not utilize existing homeless shelters. In other circumstances, centers serve stranded motorists or, during cold-weather power outages, homeowners and tenants. In some cases, when cold snaps threaten wildlife, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cooling Center
A cooling center is an air-conditioned public space set up by local authorities to temporarily deal with the health effects of extreme heat weather conditions, like the ones caused by heat waves. Cooling centers are meant to prevent hyperthermia caused by heat, humidity, and poor air quality. Cooling centers provide shade, water, and restrooms; medical attention and referrals to social services may also be offered. Their services are aimed at the homeless, those without access to adequate air conditioning and at-risk populations such as the elderly, children and those with mental disability or chronic medical conditions. As the danger of heat waves has risen in the public consciousness, cooling centers are increasingly used in larger cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Boston, and Toronto, as well as less urban population areas. Cooling centers may also be used in places like Portland and Seattle where home air conditioning is rare but summer can bring temperature ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soup Kitchen
A soup kitchen, food kitchen, or meal center, is a place where food is offered to the Hunger, hungry usually for free or sometimes at a below-market price (such as via coin donations upon visiting). Frequently located in lower-income neighborhoods, soup kitchens are often staffed by Volunteering, volunteer organizations, such as Church body, church or community groups. Soup kitchens sometimes obtain food from a food bank for free or at a low price, because they are considered a Charitable organization, charity, which makes it easier for them to feed the many people who require their services. Many historical and modern soup kitchens serve only soup, or just soup with bread. But other establishments which refer to themselves as a "soup kitchen" also serve a wider range of food, so social scientists sometimes discuss them together with similar hunger relief agencies that provide more varied hot meals, like food kitchens and meal centers. While societies have been using various met ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Warming Center
A warming center (also a heat bank or warm bank) is a short-term emergency shelter that operates when temperatures or a combination of precipitation, wind chill, wind and temperature become dangerously inclement. Their paramount purpose is the prevention of death and injury from exposure to the elements. This may include acute trauma from falling objects such as trees, or injury to extremities due to frostbite. A more prevalent emergency which warming centers seek to prevent is hypothermia, the risk for which is aggravated by factors such as age, alcohol consumption, and homelessness. Purpose Thus warming centers are frequently directed to the circumstances of persons who are ''unsheltered'' due to a personal state of homelessness and who, for one reason or another, do not utilize existing homeless shelters. In other circumstances, centers serve stranded motorists or, during cold-weather power outages, homeowners and tenants. In some cases, when cold snaps threaten wildlife, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cooling Center
A cooling center is an air-conditioned public space set up by local authorities to temporarily deal with the health effects of extreme heat weather conditions, like the ones caused by heat waves. Cooling centers are meant to prevent hyperthermia caused by heat, humidity, and poor air quality. Cooling centers provide shade, water, and restrooms; medical attention and referrals to social services may also be offered. Their services are aimed at the homeless, those without access to adequate air conditioning and at-risk populations such as the elderly, children and those with mental disability or chronic medical conditions. As the danger of heat waves has risen in the public consciousness, cooling centers are increasingly used in larger cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Boston, and Toronto, as well as less urban population areas. Cooling centers may also be used in places like Portland and Seattle where home air conditioning is rare but summer can bring temperature ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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