2023 Was Our Biggest Year Yet

The numbers are in for 2023: people took 6,229 showers with us last year, and we gave away 4,939 t-shirts, 4,513 pairs of underwear, and 5,304 pairs of socks. 335 shower guests visited us for the first time in 2023.

Since our founding, we have provided more than 20,000 showers! Read our press release about the 20,000^th shower.

Showers on Parade

Shower the People participated in this year’s downtown SLO holiday parade. “It was so much fun!! Christmas magic was in the air 🎄” said one of our jolly volunteers.

Veterans Stand Down

Shower the People brought our shower trailer to the annual Veterans Stand Down, held on Saturday, October 28, 2023 at Santa Maria Fairpark in Santa Maria. We’ve offered showers at every Stand Down since 2017.

A Big July

Shower the People gave 611 showers in July, which brings our total for the year to 3,396, and to 17,973 since we began operations. This year so far we’ve given out 2,934 pairs of socks, 2,719 t-shirts, and 2,547 pairs of underwear.

Volunteer BBQ

We held a volunteer BBQ on August 5th. As usual, the food was so delicious and filling and the company, as always, interesting & fun. It was a great time for everyone to meet and get to know each other and their spouses and friends. A huge thank you to Diane Babcock for helping organize and plan the party and then to do all of the grilling—all with a big smile!

Pop-Up Medical Clinic

Shower the People hosted the VituityCares Foundatoin pop-up medical clinic at the SLO Library on May 21st. Come back the third Sunday of every month for free medical consultation, diagnosis, and treatment.

Haircuts!

One of our new volunteers, Dustin Weiss, is a hair-care professional and has begun offering barbering services to guests at our showers, with his self-designed WashMeGo mobile barbering station.

Succulents for Showers

Shower the People’s youngest supporter hand-paints pots of succulents to raise funds to keep our showers showering. The idea was all hers and it’s been a great success. “I am excited to keep raising donations!”

Shower Chai-Lights

Shower the People’s David Gross spoke at Congregation Beth David on November 4th about the work that STP does and the opportunities people in our community have to pitch in and help make it happen.

HumanKindness

HumanKind Fair Trade in San Luis Obispo donated 10% from on-line and in-store sales on November 1, 2022 to Shower The People.

Shower the People featured in the Tribune

SLO County program has given 11,000 free showers to homeless people: ‘It’s been a blessing’ — that’s the headline of a feature article in the 28 October 2022 SLO Tribune that includes some nice quotes from our guests and volunteers.

Veterans Stand Down

Shower the People brought our shower trailer to the annual Veterans Stand Down, held on Saturday, October 15, 2022 at Santa Maria Fairpark in Santa Maria. We’ve offered showers at every Stand Down since 2017.

A New Site and a New Shower Day

Starting in September, 2022, Shower the People is also offering showers on Saturdays, from 10am to 1pm from the parking lot of the United Church of Christ at 11245 Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo. Thanks to the UCC congregation for inviting us to offer showers, and to our volunteers for giving us the confidence to expand our operations!

Our First 10k!

The 451 showers we gave in June, 2022 put us over the top and now Shower the People has successfully given more than 10,000 showers to our homeless neighbors. Can you help us get to 20,000?

April Showers, an Amazing May, Zooming through June

Shower the People gave 388 showers in April, 446 showers in May, and 451 showers in June, 2022, at our three sites. Our guests included 113 first-timers who had never showered with us before.

Helping People and Pets Alike

Marianne Bollinger of the Central Coast Partnership for Animal Welfare is at the UU Church parking lot even before the Shower the People trailer arrives. She brings a free hot breakfast for the early risers to eat while they wait for us to set up the trailer. Marianne also keeps the self-serve Little Free Pantry at the UU site well-stocked with pet food, and helps homeless people arrange veterinary care for their pets.

A Big March

Shower the People gave 424 showers in March, 2022 at our three sites. Our showerers included 14 first-timers who had never showered with us before. We gave away 328 pairs of socks, 266 pairs of boxer shorts, and 274 T-shirts.

Navigation

Nurse Navigator Allison Brandum, from the SLO County Public Health Department, comes to our shower sites in San Luis Obispo and Grover Beach regularly to help our guests get their health needs met.

A Thank You Card from a Guest

“I just wanted to say thank you for all of your donations especially the shower. Some people just stop by for a lunch, wipes, t-shirt, etc. and skip showering. But, you always manage to provide the need. Many thanks! Your volunteers are such wonderful people. Always glad to help in any way they can. Kind, patient & caring. I am definitely one person changed (one shower at a time). God bless you all for thinking of us.”

A Showerful Year

Shower the People gave more than 3,000 showers to people in our community in 2021. That made 2021 our biggest year so far. Thank you to the volunteers, donors, and other supporters who have made this possible, and to our guests who keep coming back and recommending our service to their friends.

New Times Features Shower the People

Thanks to volunteers, Shower the People gives its guests a chance to put their best foot forward. So begins the article in the SLO New Times’ January 2022 “Volunteers” issue. “We can handle all the volunteers that come because there is always something,” director Gwen Watkins said. “Our volunteers, I can’t tell you how wonderful they are. It’s fun to work with them.”

Rain or Shine

Our guests know they can rely on us to be there even when the weather’s soggy. After all, that’s when a warm shower and dry socks feel the best.

New Charging Station

Our new electric charging station has been a hit. Guests appreciate the opportunity to charge up their phones and other devices while they shower or wait for a shower.

Shower The People Is an Information Hub

Shower The People has produced a series of resource information cards about free and low-cost food, clothing, and shelter resources in SLO and the Five Cities. We make these cards available at our greeter station to help our guests become more aware of how to meet basic needs.

Suds for the Holidays

On December 3rd, 2021, the Shower the People trailer, covered in lights and emerging from a cloud of bubbles, participated in the 45th Downtown SLO Holiday Parade!

Volunteer Party

For our Volunteer Party all who could attend spent a sunny afternoon hobnobbing with each other, eating great food, with great music from Change of Plans, and exceptional dogs.

Shower the People at the Vets Stand Down

For the third consecutive year, Shower The People SLO offered free showers at the Santa Barbara County Veterans Stand Down, which was held on October 16, 2021.