Living on the streets or otherwise can be challenging especially when the homeless, low-income, needy persons, children and their families are dealing with the severe climate conditions of the Phoenix metropolitan area. ODBCOS recognizes the need of necessary tangibles to survive in such an environment. Therefore, ODCBOS distributes basic life altering supplies to the homeless and needy.

Homelessness is the condition of people and social category of people who don't have a regular house or dwelling because they cannot afford, pay for, or are otherwise unable to maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or they lack, fixed, regular, and adequate night time residence. The homeless are considered to be at the highest risk for death within the Phoenix metropolitan area due to prolonged heat exposure during the day. The number of homeless who have died in Phoenix is due in large part to the fact that the city does not have sufficient homeless shelters to allow people to escape from the blistering heat. Stephanie Farwig, Assistant Development Director of the Phoenix Rescue Mission, stated “They (the homeless) don’t have the protection from the sun nor the liquids that they need when the temperature is 115 degrees F, the pavement is 130 degrees and people’s feet are burned even through their shoes” (World Socialist Website, 2009). This problem is also apparent with working families.

Working families and their children that cannot afford air-conditioning in their homes and vehicles are also at risk, and even those who have cooling systems have to worry about possible brownouts and blackouts. When this takes place, these families and their children also become part of the homeless definition and statistic as they do not have protection from the sun either. These families also need adequate liquids and food needed to survive the climate elements of the Phoenix metropolitan area.

While prolonged exposure to intense heat was the immediate cause of death for homeless, elderly, and children in Arizona, most of these deaths could have been prevented if adequate resources were made available. In parts of the country where the temperature has been known to rise to life-threatening levels in the past, these were the people whose health and protection from the elements should have been considered.

Living on the streets or otherwise can be challenging especially when the homeless and needy are dealing with the severe climate conditions of the Phoenix metropolitan area. ODBCOS recognizes the need of necessary tangibles to survive in such an environment. Therefore, ODCBOS has established a food bank that engages in The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), serves a free weekly Saturday morning breakfast, and distributes basic survival gear (water, toiletries, and hygiene supplies) to homeless and needy persons.