East Side Monthly: Can a Shower Change a Life?

After living in her Tercel for the past four months, 24-year-old Barbara finally had a job interview scheduled for a Monday afternoon. Homeless and with limited options, she hadn't had a shower in three days, and she wasn't sure how she was going to present herself well to a potential employer. Then she heard about Shower to Empower.

Launched in April this mobile unit offers complimentary showers and haircuts, along with case management and medical navigation services. Housed in a customized 20-foot-by-8.3-foot trailer and towed by a pickup truck, the unit will travel throughout Providence providing services for the homeless population; it currently operates from 9-11am Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

The trailer includes two showers, heated floors, a medical examination room, and multi-use space for services such as haircuts and case management. Shower to Empower is a collaborative effort between the House of Hope Community Development Corporation (CDC), Team Williams LLC, and the City of Providence.

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Courtesy of East Side Monthly