SAN DIEGO — Catholic Charities recently acquired three portable shower units.
Each has three compartments, which include a walk-in shower, a private area to dress and undress, a mirror, a sink and a paper towel dispenser.
Appaswamy “Vino” Pajanor, executive director of Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego, said that the showers will be used by unsheltered individuals, those living on the streets as well as immigrants.
The units can be towed by a truck or other vehicle. They have propane tanks that allow them to provide hot water.
Each unit has sufficient water to provide showers for 250 individuals per day. When hooked up to the water supply at a parish or other location, there is enough water for even more showers.
“This is a dream for Catholic Charities to work along with our parishes to provide care for those who are out on the streets,” Pajanor said, describing this as “true ‘Good Samaritan’ work.”
Since becoming the local leader of Catholic Charities five and a half years ago, Pajanor recognized the limited availability of showers as a missing piece in outreach to the unsheltered.
“Many of the parishes don’t have showers. They have restrooms, but no showers,” he said.
Pajanor was able to secure funding for the three units, which collectively cost almost $200,000.
Pajanor hopes that the showers will be up and running sometime between Easter and Pentecost.
He said that some parishes already have expressed interest in hosting the showers on their campuses. The agency is looking for additional parishes willing to commit to hosting them weekly or monthly.
Pajanor said that the units also can be deployed in response to natural disasters, such as the heavy rains and flooding last January that displaced many residents.
For more information or to partner with Catholic Charities on this initiative, email info@ccdsd.org.
