MUST Ministries' Hope House is keeping its free cooling center open through Friday, July 31, giving Cobb County residents three more days of air conditioning and hot meals as temperatures stay in the low 90s.
The shelter at 1297 Bells Ferry Road in Marietta will welcome guests from noon to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, through Friday, July 31. Lunch and dinner are included at no cost.
Cobb County government announced the extension Wednesday on X, citing "elevated temperatures" as the reason for continued operations. Hope House is operated by MUST Ministries, whose president and CEO is Dr. Dwight "Ike" Reighard, in partnership with Cobb County.
Why the center is still open
The National Weather Service's Heat Advisory for metro Atlanta expired Tuesday, July 28, after heat index values reached between 105 and 109 degrees, according to the Augusta Chronicle. But the heat hasn't broken. The NWS forecast for Cobb County calls for highs near 91 on Wednesday, 90 on Thursday, July 30, and 91 again on Friday, July 31.
Those readings fall below the advisory threshold but remain elevated enough for MUST Ministries and Cobb County to keep the center running.
A busy summer for the cooling center
Hope House has opened its cooling center repeatedly this summer, including stretches in June and multiple rounds in July. The most recent session ran Sunday, July 26, through Tuesday, July 28, before the decision to extend operations through the end of the week.
Other cooling options
Cobb County public libraries are also open as cooling spaces for residents who want a place to read, relax, or use computers during the heat.
No announcement has been made about whether the cooling center will reopen after Friday, July 31.
