City of Santa Barbara Helps Showers of Blessing Maintain a Downtown Presence During COVID-19

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 30, 2020

P R E S S R E L E A SE

City of Santa Barbara Helps Showers of Blessing Maintain a Downtown Presence During COVID-19.

When site hosts started cancelling shower sites due to the onset of COVID-19, Showers of Blessing’s Executive Director Ken Ralph and Operations Manager Jon Diaz became seriously concerned about providing the homeless in the downtown area an accessible form of hygiene.

Ralph reached out to Santa Barbara’s Mayor Murillo and Santa Barbara Housing & Human Services Manager Laura Dubbels and asked if they could provide some downtown shower sites to the mobile showers program—a program that provides free, hot showers to houseless residents.

The City of Santa Barbara enthusiastically stepped up, offering Showers downtown Pershing Park as a location. Showers will now be bringing its mobile shower trailer to Pershing Park, 100 Castillo Street, on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11-2 pm.

“Caring for the health and well-being of our homeless residents is a priority for the City of Santa Barbara. We thank Showers of Blessing for providing this vital personal –care service,” said Mayor Murillo.Girls Inc. also stepped forward and offered their site, which is currently closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, as a temporary site. Showers mobile shower trailer will be at Girls Inc., 531 East Ortega Street, from 11-2 on Wednesdays.

Showers of Blessing provides more than just free, hot showers to anyone who needs them (no requirements necessary). Showers also provides free 30-day packs of biodegradable outdoor wipes, free new underwear, free socks, toiletries and razors to its homeless guests.

“This crisis is unprecedented. Each one of us must look into our hearts and decide how we can best serve our fellow man or woman,” said Ken Ralph, Executive Director, “Showers has made a firm commitment to continue our showers program for as long as we can because we feel that our homeless guests need us now more than ever.”

The Santa Barbara County Department of Health’s has approved Showers continuation of operations. Showers weekly schedule is:

Monday – 2-5 pm

St. Michael’s University Church, 6586 Picasso Road, Isla Vista

Tuesday – 11-2 pm

Pershing Park, 100 Castillo Street, Santa Barbara

Wednesday – 11-2 pm

Girls Inc, 531 East Ortega Street, Santa Barbara

Thursday – 10-1pm

St. Athanasius Orthodox Church, 300 Sumida Gardens Lane, Goleta

Friday – 11-2 pm

Pershing Park, 100 Castillo Street, Santa Barbara

Showers of Blessing’s mission is to provide free, hot mobile showers to houseless residents in southern Santa Barbara County in order to promote health and wellness and restore dignity to our most vulnerable residents. To donate or for more information, please contact Showers of Blessing https://showersofblessingsb.org/.