West county homeless get chance to shower, do laundry

A novel outreach effort that offers showers and laundry services for west county homeless people is bringing a small amount of dignity to a hard-pressed population.

But more than that, it is helping advocates identify the needs of west county’s homeless at a time when there is no permanent shelter available along the Russian River corridor.

The free shower program, held the past two Thursdays at the Veterans Memorial Hall in Guerneville, has thus far resulted in 65 visits by homeless people, with 50 of those for seven-minute showers and available food. Some have also used laundry services.

“We’re getting a lot of people coming in,” said Richard Jones, president of Sonoma County Vet Connect, a nonprofit group that hosts the daylong service.

Vet Connect provides local veterans with on-site social services, including mental health services. Though the shower service targets homeless vets, the showers are open to all homeless people.

“It’s making a big difference for them,” said Jones, adding that the Thursday event gives outreach workers a chance to help identify veterans’ needs for social services.

Homeless advocate Ted Fox, who first conceived of the service, said the shower program is also demonstrating to the community that there is a need for year-round services for the homeless in the west county. The area only offers a temporary shelter during a four month period in the winter.

For the other eight months, when a homeless person wants to bathe, there are few options besides using a bucket of water, a public bathroom or going into the Russian River. Fox said homeless advocates, county officials and members of the local business community are trying to come up with a location for a permanent shelter.

In the meantime, people are eager to get a warm shower every Thursday, lining up for between a half hour and 45 minutes, Jones said.

Fox said each person is given about 7 minutes to shower, not just as a water-conservation measure but so all who signed up get a turn, he said.

On the first Thursday, June 18, Fox said 24 people took showers and the following Thursday,?26 showered.

A volunteer who used to work as a barber offered haircuts to some of the homeless people, Fox said.

“I was amazed that we were able to get that many people in,” Fox said.