It starts as a shimmer. The kind that blurs the edges of the road and turns parking lots into frying pans. You wipe your brow with your shirt sleeve, but the air doesn’t care — it’s thick, relentless, and rising. The kind of Texas heat that doesn’t just demand your attention — it hijacks your whole day. 

That’s when the city steps in. 

This summer, Fort Worth is once again trying to beat the heat — not just in spirit, but with ice-cold resolve. For the third year in a row, the City of Fort Worth’s Community Action Partners has teamed up with Reliant Energy to launch the “Beat the Heat” program, a community-wide initiative offering refuge, relief and — maybe most importantly — air conditioning. 

At the heart of this initiative are four official cooling centers — places where the thermostat is kind, the water is cold, and no one asks questions beyond “How are you holding up?” This year’s lineup includes: 

  • Como Community Center – 4660 Horne St. 

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center – 5565 Truman Drive 

  • Northside Community Center – 1100 NW 18th St. 

  • Worth Heights Community Center – 3551 New York Ave. 

These community centers are more than just brick-and-mortar buildings — they’re safe zones for neighbors who need a break, whether it’s from a broken A/C, a fixed income, or the kind of humidity that feels like a wet blanket you didn’t ask for. 

The program runs now through September 19, and priority access to in-home cooling devices — think box fans and small AC units — is given to seniors, people with disabilities, and families with young kids. (To apply, call 817-392-2276 or visit Reliant.com/beattheheat.) 

The science is straightforward but sobering: According to the World Health Organization, extreme heat can trigger everything from dehydration to heart failure. AARP takes it further — for older adults, it takes twice as long to cool down once overheated. That makes access to cooling not just a matter of comfort, but a matter of survival.  

Which is why this initiative doesn’t stop at the community center walls. 

Libraries? Open and air-conditioned. 

City buildings? Drop in during business hours. 

No supplies? No problem. Just bring yourself. 

If you show up at a community center during summer camp hours (weekdays, 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.), don’t be shy — ring the bell. Staff will let you in and direct you to a designated cooling space. 

For Fort Worth residents experiencing homelessness, the city’s network extends even further. 

  • Community Crossroads (1516 Hemphill St.) is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 3–6 p.m. with water and snacks. 

  • Union Gospel Mission (1321 E. Lancaster Ave.) welcomes guests daily from 11 a.m.–6 p.m., offering lunch, dinner, and even kennels for pets. 

  • True Worth Place (1513 E. Presidio St.) opens 7 a.m.–3 p.m. every day. 

  • Presbyterian Night Shelter (2400 Cypress St.) begins early bed check-ins at noon when temps hit triple digits. 

The “Beat the Heat” program isn’t a grand gesture. It’s a grounded, roll-up-your-sleeves kind of compassion — the kind that defines a city like Fort Worth when the thermometer stretches into dangerous territory. It’s coolers filled with water bottles, staff who greet you with a smile, and volunteers who understand that sometimes survival starts with a good chair and a decent fan.