A shower can be the difference between getting a job, making it through a hot July afternoon and feeling like someone cares about you. Yet, for many in the unhoused community, showers are few and far between.
A year ago, Utah-based organization Showers of Hope opened its first mobile shower trailer.
To celebrate its anniversary, the nonprofit showcased its second in-the-works trailer, complete with three new showers and a washer-dryer combo. The event on Wednesday also included free food, haircuts and a concert put on by those visiting Showers of Hope.
Showers of Hope was created by Renee Shaw about a year ago. After living in California and constantly interacting with the unhoused population, she realized she could do something more to help the community. When her close friend lost her job and began living out of her car, Shaw realized that homelessness can affect anyone. However, what helped her friend get out of her situation was a shower that landed her a job.
With the help of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and many volunteers, Shaw began bringing the trailer to Liberty Park and encouraging the people experiencing homelessness to come and visit.
Shaw and her team have helped over 1,000 people receive a shower, meal and clean clothes. Beyond the shower itself, the organization also provides community, therapy and a reminder that the people are cared for.
“We call these guys our family,” Shaw said. “We say ‘family photo,’ and everyone comes running. I live near Liberty Park, so I walk around and say hi to them all the time. I truly do feel like family with them.”
Branden “Bumblebee” Gambino, the current manager of Showers of Hope, has seen his and his wife’s lives change from the organization. After moving to Salt Lake City from Michigan, he found that Showers of Hope gave him a new purpose.
“I came here to get a haircut, a shower and a clean pair of clothes,” Gambino recalled. “I met Renee, and she showed us so much love and care and really gave me my dignity back. We started volunteering, and the blessings started coming our way. I realized this is just something that was always a part of my plan.”
He quickly bonded with the volunteer team and landed a job as the manager. With his background in addiction, he also got to help others recover.
“My main goal coming out here was to bring recovery meetings and help out whoever I could. … This is right up my alley. I love helping people,” Gambino said. “The people that are in the unsheltered community are my people.”
His help has been instrumental in encouraging others to recover from their addictions.
“It’s pretty interesting for me. It’s a full circle because I was out here four years ago in the depths of my addiction. A lot of people who come here knew me back then, so to see me now, it gives them a bit of hope,” Gambino said.
Gambino’s story is only one of many.
“It gives me a little hope. It’s in the name, you know. I get a shower in, you feel clean and you feel good,” said Isaac, a frequent visitor of Showers of Hope. “I’m not really social anymore, but I try to keep my friends close. I got good people right here. They’ve got my back, so I love them.”
The showers, which may seem simple, can truly be life-changing for those who need them.
“Out here in the heat, especially when you’re unsheltered, you are carrying everything you own with you. … Having a place to go in the wintertime and summertime helps so much,” Gambino explained.
Staying hydrated and clean can be key to surviving the weather. Mentally, the showers can be a game changer as well.
“It gives the opportunity so we can feel good about ourselves,” said Isaac. “We’re just trying to survive and live our lives.”
Brandee Woodard, another user of Showers of Hope, noted, “It helps give people their dignity. … It helps your mental health, too.”
Many of the unsheltered population expressed how many misconceptions surround them and their situation. Often, their addiction is the result of intense trauma, an addiction cycle or a bad event in their life.
“Every person is just one situation away from being homeless. Homelessness doesn’t discriminate,” Gambino emphasized. “You could be homeless tomorrow because of a wreck or hurricane or whatever it might be. … I’ve met some of the most humble and kindhearted people in the unsheltered community.”
Some of those who visit Showers of Hope even try to maintain the ecosystem and care for the local wildlife at the park. Bumblebee also sheds light on the drug issues that can be an issue for the unsheltered. He shared that many times, drug use can be a temporary fix so that individuals do not have to think about eating, sleeping or where they will stay that night. He believes that to help alleviate the problem, the community needs to help educate the unsheltered populations about the long-term effects.
Showers of Hope is one avenue for healing, dignity and peace. The community, resources and availability of a shower can mean everything for the unhoused community. The new mobile camper, scheduled to be finished this fall or winter, will give Showers of Hope the chance to help more of Utah’s unsheltered. For more information, visit the Showers of Hope website.
