Extreme heat can pose deadly risks, one group is hoping to help one of the most vulnerable groups, the elderly.
Meals on wheels drops off food, newspapers, and in some cases pet food to the elderly every day during the week.
As temperatures rise, they have been trying to help seniors beat the heat, bringing fans to their homes.
Meal on Wheels, Associate Director, Libby Bellinger, said many senior citizens are on a fixed income and find it difficult to pay for air conditioning.
"They have to pay rent, medical bills and so there's not a lot of money left over for utilities. So that's one of the ways they'll save, they just won't run a unit if they have one,” Bellinger said.
With the potential of heat strokes and other serious heat-related illnesses it can be dangerous if a home overheats.
According to KTRK, Cynthia and Jerome Clark were found dead in their mobile home just outside of Houston after their air conditioner broke.
Bellinger hopes that bringing a more cost effective alternative, will bring some relief.
"A lot of our senior citizens don't use air conditioners because of the cost of running electricity in the summer but they use fans," Bellinger said.
As volunteers go from home to home, they perform welfare checks. For Sharon Styles, who lives in California, the program eases some anxiety she has being so far from her Great Aunt.
"Aunt Bee is the last sister of my grandmother, It gives me such peace of mind to know that these kind and loving people come by,” Styles said.
Meals on Wheels say they are always looking for additional volunteers to help with the program. A volunteer application can be found here.
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