DICKSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Dickson County Help Center is shortening its donation drop-off hours when the heat index reaches 96 degrees or higher, a move officials said is necessary to protect workers in an area of the facility that has no air conditioning.
The donation drop-off area at the help center and thrift store relies on fans but lacks air conditioning, making extended time there dangerous during Middle Tennessee's current heat wave. When the heat index climbs above 96 degrees, the center closes donations about 3.5 hours early.
Angela Moore, director of communications for the Dickson County Help Center, said the decision comes down to worker safety.
"It gets to be pretty toasty out there and we want to make sure those members of team that have that important piece of the operation is safe and not going into any harm," Moore said.
Under the adjusted schedule, the donation center remains open from 9 a.m. until noon on days when the heat index exceeds the threshold.
"We stay open from 9 until noon but once that lunch time mark hits unfortunately we are going to be cutting half of our donation center hours," Moore said.
The donations brought in through the drop-off are sold in the thrift store, and those sales fund the help center's programs.
"Those programs include on a daily bases our food bank and also our financial assistance office," Moore said.
Jeff Jefferson, facilities manager at the Dickson County Help Center, said the contrast between the facility's spaces is stark. While the sorting area inside benefits from air conditioning, the donation drop-off side does not.
"This room is great. When you get over to the side where we're accepting donations is the hot side," Jefferson said.
Jefferson said the donations collected are central to the center's mission.
"This is what the community has given us, and this is what brings in the money that we use to take care of other people," Jefferson said.
Without staff available to receive and process donations, the center cannot move items through its operation — limiting its ability to serve the community. On hot days, the center also treats workers and volunteers to ice cream sometimes to help them beat the heat.
Jefferson said he and his colleagues are looking forward to cooler weather.
"It would be nice if it was just a little bit cooler," Jefferson said.
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