Mobile Hygiene Trailers Bring Showers, Washers To Alameda Co. Homeless Shelters
FREMONT (KPIX) - The city of Fremont hopes a new trailer can restore just a little bit of human dignity to those living on the street.
It is called the Clean Start Mobile Hygiene Unit and is the brain child of Fremont, Newark and the County of Alameda.
Michael Richardson is going to be the operator.
"My Mom worked for 15 years as a social worker," says Richardson.
The Clean Start unit will visit several shelters in the area each week. Operator Richardson says it is fully equipped.
"Toilets seats, got a shower hot and cold shower, sink and soap dispenser," says Richardson, along with other essentials, "Three washers and three dryers."
The Clean Start Unit costs $150,000 and will be run by Fremont. It has its own generator for power and contains a 500 gallon tank of water. It's a stand-alone unit.
However, recently a group of folks gathered to protest the proposed location of a homeless navigation center, a different outreach effort by the city. But Fremont says the unit is going behind City Hall.
Everyone recognizes the need.
The first organization to get the trailer is the Salvation Army.
Lilly MacCallum is the Salvation Army Social Outreach Director.
"The opportunity to clean up, to take showers and do some laundry, and you know, and just…help that day," says MacCallum.
The unit goes into service next week.
Once the program is fully up and running, the unit will provide services twice a day, Monday through Friday.
