Nonprofit group offers hot showers for homeless in Vancouver

The group Food with Friends is helping the Vancouver homeless community through its “Shower Outreach Project.”

The program had its first run with the mobile showers on Sunday out at Living Hope Church.

Participants were treated to a hot shower, complete with soap, shampoo, rand razors.

Organizers say a lot of people don’t realize how important a shower can be, especially to those in the homeless community.

“When you live outside, you’re exposed to a lot of elements that you’re not exposed to when you live inside,” said Jamie Spinelli, the Vice President of Food with Friends. “Staph infections, MRSA and a whole variety of things that happen, just from not being able to clean yourself regularly.”

Food with Friends hopes this is the first of many shower outreach projects. Their goal is to perfect a way to provide the service and share their model at large.